Twisted Fates
by IncaGold27
Summary: A different take on the story, one that focuses on the emerging chemistry between the three main characters. Goes AU as of chapter 30. Rated for adult themes and later material. Pairings: various combinations of KanamexZeroxYuuki.
1. Descent

**This has been running around in my head for a while, so I decided to set the plot bunny free…**

**Disclaimer: They all belong to Matsuri Hino…**

**Pairings: This chapter contains some ZeroxKaname, but nothing too explicit.**

**Spoilers: Chapter 30 of the manga, but goes AU from there. I wanted to do a different take on the story, one that focuses on the fascinating mixture of love, hate and feigned indifference between Yuuki, Zero and Kaname, so I've twisted things a bit – and yes, that's where the title comes from ;P**

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Kaname kept reminding himself that he was doing this for Yuuki. It was only that thought that enabled him to hold still and not pull away when he felt Kiriyu's lips closing on his throat, the silver-haired guardian's hand fisted in Kaname's shirt as he brought him down to a more comfortable level. The pureblood closed his eyes as razor-edged fangs teased against his skin, sending delightful chills of anticipation down his spine. He didn't want to enjoy this… but vampire physiology was hard-wired to find pleasure in the act of giving and receiving blood. He tightened his grip on Zero's arm, barely managing to suppress a gasp as the ex-human's teeth sank into his flesh, finding the vein, and was faintly gratified when Kiriyu gave a small moan against his throat, pulling him closer as he began to drink.

Kaname's blood flooding his mouth was unlike anything Zero had ever experienced – it felt like pure energy crackling through his entire body, and the _taste_… if he'd known something this exquisite existed he would have sought it out long ago. Yuuki was sweet and soothing, like a drink of spring water on a summer's day, but Kaname was like black lightning, tasting of raw power and dark spices, setting his nerves on fire and whipping his vampiric side into a frenzy. Before he knew what he was doing, he had pulled the pureblood down on top of him and bitten into Kaname's throat a second time, tearing twin gashes in his neck, wanting, no…_needing_ more of this scarlet bliss.

This time Kaname couldn't stop the hiss that escaped him as he was dragged to the floor, and Kiriyu's fangs embedded themselves viciously in his neck once more. He could feel hot liquid soaking into his shirt as the ex-human opened a new wound, causing a fresh stream of blood to spill from his veins. "_Zero…_" he meant it as an admonishment, but it came out as a throaty purr. The blood loss and pain were blending into a kind of twisted ecstasy, sending waves of heat through Kaname's body. As a pureblood, it was a natural instinct to associate feeding with physical intimacy, and the more violent it became the stronger the urge… he needed to stop this before he did something he'd regret, but the sheer pleasure of being taken this way was overriding his common sense. Releasing Zero's arm, he rested his hands on the hunter's sides, unable to prevent his nails from extending into claws and piercing through Zero's shirt to the flesh beneath. Zero arched against him and stifled a groan as the talons dug deeper, drawing blood. The smell of Kiriyu's blood filled the air, mingling with Kaname's own scent and awakening his bloodlust. He felt his senses heighten and the tightening in his chest as hunger overcame him. So help him, if he didn't end this now he was going to bite Zero – and that was something he could not afford, no matter how much his instincts screamed for him to do it. With a massive force of will, he retracted his claws and pushed down on Zero's sides, trying to dislodge the other vampire.

"Kiriyu – that's enough."

It was little more than a whisper, but the command in it was evident, and Zero's savage side felt compelled to obey. _'Damn purebloods and their powers.'_ He removed his fangs from Kuran's throat, but couldn't stop himself from running his tongue over the long gashes, savouring every last taste of the unique elixir that was Kaname's blood before the contact was broken. His entire body was shaking - throbbing with unexpressed energy and he felt like he was maybe going to pass out or get sick unless he moved. When he tried to however, he realised Kaname's hands were still resting on his sides. The pureblood lifted his head and looked Zero in the eye.

"You've taken too much. That's why you feel this way. Your body will need time to adapt to the power it's absorbed."

Zero could only nod, not yet trusting himself to speak without throwing up. He shut his eyes tightly and lay back on the floor, trying to stop the spinning in his head. It seemed to help, he felt more steady now and the buzzing under his skin was starting to subside. Dimly, he became aware of warm air skating over his cheek. Opening his eyes, he came face to face with Kaname, who had shifted and was now kneeling over him, seemingly studying the hunter intently.

"Kuran, what the hell are you doing?"

Kaname's mouth twitched into a smirk.

"Just making sure you aren't going to die on me… that would be such a waste."

He relished the look of half-disbelief, half-disgust in the ex-human's eyes - toying with him was so easy, his hatred of vampires made him terribly vulnerable. The pureblood wondered how far he could push him, and decided to find out. Swinging one leg over Zero's prone form, he straddled the other boy, effectively trapping him.

"My, my Kiriyu… you're such a messy eater…!"

He traced his tongue over Zero's cheek where trails of scarlet had marred the pale skin, tasting his own blood. It had the desired effect, making the hunter struggle beneath him. Kaname paid him no mind and continued his ministrations, licking the blood from Zero's face with long, slow strokes.

"St…stop it – get…off me!" Zero panted, finally managing to dislodge the pureblood by shoving him in the chest, knocking him to the floor and glaring at him in disgust. To his surprise, Kuran began to laugh.

"What do you find so funny?" Zero demanded.

"I was merely toying with you – your reactions are quite entertaining."

The witty retort Zero was about to give died on his lips as they both heard running footsteps coming up the passage.

"Go!" Kaname hissed, "It's the others – my blood has drawn them. They cannot find out what I have done, or they will kill you and it will all have been for nothing."

With a final nod of grudging gratitude to the pureblood, Zero took off out the window, leaping the three stories to the ground in a single graceful bound, landing silently as a cat. _Wow, _he mused, _I guess there's more to that blood than just the taste…_ His hearing had improved as well, and just as he made it under the cover of the trees he heard Ichijo's voice from upstairs.

"Aido, Kain - search the grounds, whoever did this cannot have gotten far. Shiki, help me over here…" Zero expected to hear Kaname's voice next, domineering them as usual, but there was only silence.


	2. The Value of Friendship

As soon as Zero was gone, Kaname knew he had to act fast. Lengthening his nails, he cut deeply into the skin of his throat and wrists, needing to make it look like he'd been savagely attacked. He hoped that the freshly spilled blood would also obscure any lingering traces of Kiriyu's scent. He heard Ichijo calling his name and rattling the doorknob, so he got to his feet, planning on walking towards the door. The sudden motion made his head spin, and he realized that he had been drained far more than he'd anticipated, the combined blood loss from Zero's frantic feeding and his self-inflicted wounds making him feel faint. Cursing the ex-human for contributing to this pathetic display of weakness, he attempted to take a slow step forward, but swayed mid-stride. The room seemed to tilt back, his legs betraying him as darkness swirled across his vision and he collapsed.

x--x--x

Ichijo had been in the parlour reading his latest manga when he picked up the scent of Kaname's blood. At first he wasn't too worried, even smiling to himself as he thought _'perhaps Kaname finally got a paper cut from one of those infernal reports he's always writing…'_ but then Ichijo realised that Kaname was on the third floor, behind closed doors, and for the smell to have drifted all the way down here… He leaped off the couch and hurried for the stairs, nearly running into Aido and Kain who were coming from the other side of the dorm. As they rounded the first floor landing, they were joined in their mad rush by Shiki who had been in his room. "What happened?" he asked as they ran, but nobody answered him. There would be time for talking once they knew Kaname was safe. The irresistible scent intensified as they reached the third floor, and it was nearly unbearable by the time they got to the Dorm President's room. Whatever the cause, Kaname was obviously bleeding profusely. A chill ran down Ichijo's spine as he reached for the doorknob, calling for his friend. The door was locked however, and the knob only rattled uselessly. There was a sudden thump from within, and all four of the young vampires looked at each other, panic in their eyes. Kain grabbed Ichijo's shoulder and moved him aside. "Let me." he said, backing up before rushing forward and kicking the door. The latch broke free, and they all burst into the room.

Inside it was chaos. One wall was cracked and streaked with blood. The floor was splashed with scarlet and looked like something had been dragged across it, and there were spots of blood on everything from the bedspread to the chaise. But none of that mattered. What froze them all in place was the unmoving form of their leader, sprawled almost gracefully in a spreading pool of glittering crimson. Ichijo acted first, rushing over to kneel at Kaname's side, feeling for a pulse and sighing in relief when he found one. Looking up at the others, he gave a nod, then took charge of the situation.

"Aido, Kain - search the grounds, whoever did this cannot have gotten far." The cousins nodded and headed out. "Shiki, help me over here." He slipped his hands under the left side of Kaname's body, and Shiki walked across to the right to do the same. As gently as possible, they picked up the unconscious pureblood and carried him to the bed.

Ichijo began assessing his friend's injuries, while Shiki paced restlessly beside the window, obviously unsure of what to do. There were deep gouges running up the insides of Kaname's arms, as well as down his neck, all of which still seeped blood. This in itself was strange, purebloods had unparalleled healing abilities. "An anti-vampire weapon perhaps, or some kind of spell..." Ichijo muttered, lifting Kaname's chin slightly to get a better look at the damage on his throat.

"Who would do such a thing?" Shiki whispered. Ichijo just shook his head slowly, not wanting to imagine. To cover his growing unease, he looked at Shiki. "Stand guard outside the door. Don't let anyone in here – Kaname-sama would not want them to see him like this. I will tend to his wounds. If Aido and Kain get back, tell them I'll listen to their report later, once I'm done."

Shiki nodded and began walking to the door, then paused, placing a hand on Ichijo's shoulder. "You are truly a good friend to Kaname-sama."

Ichijo kept his gaze on the floor. "If I was, surely I would have been there when he needed me."

Shiki smiled. "Don't you see? He needs you _now_, and here you are." With that, he left the room.

Ichijo returned his attention to Kaname. The wounds seemed to be healing slowly, and the flow of blood had stopped completely. It was strange, Ichijo had always thought that if Kaname's blood was spilled he would be tempted to taste it, but all he felt now was concern for his friend and disgust at himself for not being able to prevent this. Sighing, he rose and went to fetch warm water and towels. At the very least, he could ensure that if anyone got past Shiki and _did_ walk in here, the dorm president didn't look like a murder victim.

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**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you made my day, so this one's dedicated to you!**


	3. Flight

Zero stalked silently through the trees, heading for the chairman's residence. He couldn't risk going back to the dorms, even if it was the middle of the night. He was covered in blood, his fangs were still slightly extended, and he knew his eyes were probably glowing red as well, despite the fact that he was no longer in the grip of the bloodlust– most likely another side effect of drinking from Kuran_. __'__And now here I am, wandering the forest in the dark like some gore-spattered demon, hoping like hell not to run into Yuuki on patrol.' _He froze when he heard a twig snapping somewhere to his right. Thinking quickly, he jumped, catching hold of a low branch and pulling himself into the tree as quietly as possible. Listening intently, he began to catch a hushed conversation, some distance away.

"Hanabusa, hurry up!" Kain's voice hissed, "If Kaname-sama's attacker gets away because of you slowing us down I swear…" This was followed by a derogatory muttering from Aido, but Zero couldn't quite catch the words.

He'd known the cousins were sent out to sweep the grounds, but hadn't expected them to get all the way out here so fast. His original plan was to sit tight, thinking it was only Yuuki or the chairman he needed to avoid, but now he realized he'd have to make a run for it. After all, there were vampires tracking him, and he reeked of Kaname Kuran's blood. At the moment he happened to be downwind, but if that fact changed he would be caught for sure. He let himself down from the tree, wincing when the leaves rustled under his feet, then resumed making his way towards the residence while keeping a sharp ear out for sounds of pursuit.

x--x--x

Kain ghosted over the leaf-strewn grounds, Aido close behind. They had decided not to risk splitting up, because whoever they were looking for had taken down a pureblood, and to face them alone would be akin to suicide. They were nearing the end of their search, just the last bit of forest near the chairman's residence to check, when Kain froze in his tracks. "Did you hear that?" he whispered, but the look on his cousins face made the question rhetorical – intense concentration mingled with fear. They both listened, trying to sort through the normal forest noises for anything that would give away the location of their quarry. Nothing. Just the wind, but then… there! A faint rustle some way behind and to the left of them that was slightly out of place amongst the rest. Getting a fix on the position of the sound, they cautiously began moving towards it. The wind was blowing away from them, making it impossible to catch scents, which put them at a disadvantage as they had no way of knowing how many targets they were dealing with. As they neared the source of the sound, however, it became clear it was made by only one person, each footstep distinct. Both vampires tensed as a shadowy figure emerged from the trees, expecting a fight.

What they didn't expect however, was for the figure to start berating them in a distinctly feminine tone. "What are you two doing out here? You should be back in the dorm by now, class ended ages ago!"

Aido clapped a hand to his forehead in frustration. "Yuuki Cross. Guess we should have known..."

Kain silenced him with a look. "We apologize, Yuuki – we'll head back immediately. Come, Hanabusa, we're done here." His tone brooked no argument, and his cousin followed him, leaving Yuuki staring after them like they'd gone insane.

Once they were out of Yuuki's earshot, Aido asked "Well? What do we do now? We haven't finished searching yet, and..."

"We've searched most of the grounds, and besides, I doubt whoever is responsible would've hung around to face the consequences. We'd better get back; Ichijo will be expecting us."

x--x--x

Yuuki walked slowly, pondering the cousin's strange behaviour.

_'Hmmm... That's weird. I wonder what's up with them? They never listen to me normally...' _

All in all, it was turning out to be a strange night. First, Zero had disappeared shortly after the class changeover, and despite her having searched all his known hideaways, she hadn't been able to find him. Then, Ruka and Seiren had nearly run her down as they raced towards the Moon Dorm, ignoring her completely while whispering urgently to each other, and now Aido and Kain were acting docile. Still absorbed in thought, she turned and headed back towards the school. It was obvious something was wrong with the night class, and seeing as Zero still seemed to be missing - she would have to be the one to keep things under control.

x--x--x

Zero reached the chairman's residence without incident. Silently thanking luck or fate or whatever had brought him here safely, he shut the door behind himself, trying to make as little noise as possible. The chairman may have been very tolerant of vampires, but there was no way he would excuse Zero's current appearance without an explanation. Sighing, he headed for the bathroom, not just to remedy his bloody state, but to try and remove the taint of Kuran's touch from his body. He could still feel Kaname's claws digging into his sides, drawing him closer as if Zero was the only thing in the pureblood's world, not to mention that velvet tongue stroking across his cheeks, and the memory of it caused him to shake with something between disgust and longing. _'Man,'_ he thought, _'I really need to get a grip. I can't let him get to me this way.'_

A few minutes later, Zero stood in the shower, watching eddies of scarlet-tinged water swirl down the drain. His blood… Kaname's blood… ever since his vampire side had fully awakened, everything in his life seemed to revolve around the alluring red substance. And now he'd done something so unconscionable in the vampire world that he might end up paying for it with his life. No wonder Kaname had remained silent after Ichijo ordered the search - it was all most likely part of some twisted scheme to get rid of him and win Yuuki's heart. While Kaname couldn't kill him outright for fear of Yuuki's reaction, he could most certainly have him captured and brought to justice for "attacking" a pureblood. After all, there was no evidence that Zero had been forced into it, and a pureblood's word was practically law. _'Fool!'_ he berated himself mentally, _'serves you right for trusting a bloodsucker!' _He was surprised to find that he was a little disappointed. He'd actually expected better of Kuran. Despite their mutual dislike, the regal vampire had always struck him as honourable, and now… well, somehow Zero hadn't thought he'd feel so…_betrayed_.

x--x--x

Ichijo sat on the edge of Kaname's bed, holding his head in his hands. He hated this. The waiting was killing him – waiting for Aido and Kain to get back, waiting for Kaname to wake up... it was too much. And then there was the situation at the door. Already both Ruka and Seiren had demanded to be admitted to see the dorm president. Shiki had managed to convince them after a heated argument and various threats of bodily harm that Kaname was fine and just didn't want to be disturbed, but it had been a close run thing for a while. He really wished Kaname would regain consciousness and tell him what to do. He may be the vice-president, but he really missed his friend's guidance, especially now that the relative tranquillity at the academy seemed to be on the verge of shattering. A faint moan brought him out of his inner turmoil, and he lifted his head to find Kaname's eyes fluttering open. The pureblood's whole body tensed for a moment, as if he was expecting an attack but was unsure from which direction, then relaxed when he saw Ichijo.

"Kaname!" Ichijo's voice was flooded with relief. "Are you all right?"

Kaname pushed himself upright so that he was sitting against the headboard before answering.

"I'll be fine. What happened while…" he trailed off, not really willing to admit his weakness. Thankfully, Ichijo seemed to pick up on this and hurried to fill him in on everything that had transpired.

"I sent Aido and Kain out to search, they should be back soon. And Shiki is guarding the door. I didn't know what else to do, I should have got here sooner, I was too late…" Ichijo wrung his hands as he spoke, obviously distressed.

"Calm yourself Takuma. You handled the situation very well, and I'm grateful to you."

Ichijo bowed his head briefly in thanks. When he spoke, it was hesitant, as if he were afraid of the answer. "Kaname…who…who did this to you?"

Kaname sighed. "I know of the attackers, but not who was behind the attack. There were five of them, all hooded and robed. They were assassins of a very specific sort, specialists in the elimination of purebloods… members of the Sicarian Order."

He hated lying to his friend. Hated that he had to do it for the sake of saving an ex-human. But nevertheless, it had to be done. The Sicarians were a legend, an order that was rumoured to have existed and sold its services to the highest bidder since ancient times. By claiming they were responsible, Kaname could remove all suspicion from Zero, and of course, Kaname had more than enough rich, powerful enemies who would pay to see him dead. For a while there would be investigations by the council and reports sent back and forth, but eventually the whole thing would be written off as just another politically motivated crime. It was the best way, the safest for all involved. But no matter how much he justified it to himself, it still felt wrong.

Ichijo gasped when he heard the word _Sicarian_. An assassination attempt on their leader's life, right here in the heart of their stronghold. It was a bold move by whoever had sent the mercenaries, especially if they hadn't been sure it would work. Then again, it had come very close to being successful. He still couldn't shake the image of Kaname, lifeless and covered in blood… if they'd been just a few minutes later… he shuddered to think what might have happened.

"So what should we do?" Ichijo asked.

Kaname shrugged. "I will inform the Council as soon as possible. Until then there isn't much more we can do. Although… someone should inform the chairman. I could do it myself, but I would prefer to wait for Aido and Kain. Would you mind going, Takuma?"

Ichijo jumped up and headed for the door, eager to at last be doing something constructive. "Of course! I'll go at once."

Kaname couldn't help but smile at Ichijo's enthusiasm, but as soon as he was alone, the smile faded. He felt terrible about the web of deception he was weaving, although it was one of those things that were necessary. A pureblood had many such things in their life, things born of duty rather than honour, and Kaname was no exception. Since childhood he'd been taught to distance himself from his emotions, his feelings for anything other than himself. These were treacherous weaknesses, and could not be allowed to manifest in a Kuran heir.

Running his hand through his auburn tresses, his thoughts turned to Zero. He hoped the hunter had managed to elude Aido and Kain's search efforts without leaving a trail. In a way, the pureblood's reputation was now in Zero's hands - because if anyone found the truth of tonight's events, it would expose Kaname's lies, and the fragile peace he had built here at the academy would begin to crumble. It was a dangerous game Kaname was playing now, and he knew that the pivotal piece was Zero. That had been why he sent Ichijo to the chairman. He needed the ex-human to find out that he was not going to be accused of the attack, so that he wouldn't do anything rash, like try to turn himself in. At least, that was what Kaname wanted to believe… but deep within he knew the real reason he'd done it. It ran through his soul like a litany.

_Zero had suffered enough._

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**Thoughts & comments would be appreciated.**


	4. Misrepresentation

Ichijo hurried across the Academy's grounds towards the residence of Chairman Cross. Once there, he proceeded to knock loudly on the door. There was silence from within, so he knocked again. At last, he heard approaching footsteps, and the voice of the chairman muttering about the idiosyncrasies of running a school for nocturnal creatures when one was only human.

Despite the sombre news he had come to deliver, Ichijo smiled. The chairman was truly one of a kind. The door opened, and the chairman peered blearily out, his glasses askew and his hair still dishevelled from sleep. His eyebrows shot up though when he saw who it was. "Ichijo! What brings you here? Come in, come in! We'll have some tea and a chat…" Ichijo entered and they ended up sitting at the kitchen table. Ichijo had wanted to launch straight into the story, but the chairman insisted they wait for the tea.

x--x--x

Zero had just finished getting dressed and was about to leave the bathroom when he heard someone pounding on the front door. Instantly, his blood seemed to turn to ice as fear gripped his heart. _Damn._ It was one of _them_ – he just knew it. Probably Aido and Kain, looking to apprehend him for his supposed crime. He should never have come here, it was far too obvious. Cursing himself silently, he began thinking of a way out, but the bathroom window was too small, and to get to another room he would have to cross a treacherously creaky patch of floorboards. His half-formed escape attempts were interrupted when he heard the chairman greeting their guest. It seemed Ichijo himself had come, but from the sound of it, he was alone. Perhaps if Zero just stayed here and monitored the conversation he would get a better idea of what to do next. Still standing in the bathroom doorway, he began listening intently.

x--x--x

At long last the kettle boiled and the chairman sat down. He looked expectantly at Ichijo, picking up his tea and blowing across the surface to cool it.

Ichijo thought it best to cut to the chase. "Chairman Cross, there has been an attempt on Kaname's life."

The chairman straightened in his seat, placing his cup back on the table. The usual glint of amusement in his eyes was gone, and his presence seemed to undergo a dramatic change. He was instantly transformed from a doting, somewhat eccentric headmaster into a renowned vampire hunter whose reputation had spread through the land prior to his retirement, a hunter so skilled he had even earned the respect and friendship of the revered Kuran family. It was actually rather frightening to witness, and Ichijo was suddenly very glad for the table between them.

"When did this happen? Have you apprehended those responsible?" even his voice was different, Ichijo noted; more commanding, with a hint of iron-clad resolve in it.

"Earlier this evening. Kain, Aido, Shiki and I got to Kaname as fast as possible, but by the time we arrived the perpetrators had already fled. I sent the cousins out to search, but I doubt they found anything. Once Kaname regained consciousness – "

There was a gasp from the chairman, but Ichijo ignored it for now, "he told me there were five of them… and that they were Sicarians."

Another gasp; and the chairman's grip on the table intensified.

"Does he know who sent them?"

Ichijo shook his head. "As you are aware, there are a multitude of possibilities."

"How is Kaname now?"

"He lost a lot of blood, and was unconscious for quite some time, but his wounds have healed. They obviously used a spell to inhibit his powers, or they would not have been able to take him so easily."

"What has he suggested we do?"

"He will inform the council as soon as it is expedient to do so..." Ichijo paused before continuing. "He has not requested me to ask you this, but I would appreciate it if you could keep the extent of the attack quiet. I fear if too many people know how close the assassins were to success, it might prompt more such attempts."

"I understand completely. In that case, classes will continue as normal, but I will contact the Hunter's Association and request extra security for the Academy's perimeter. The disciplinary committee will also be informed to be on high alert."

Ichijo rose to leave. "Thank you, chairman. I must get back, there is much to do."

"Yes, quite. Please ask Kaname to see me as soon as possible, there are matters of security we need to discuss."

Ichijo nodded. "Of course. Good evening, chairman."

x--x--x

At some point, Zero had slumped to the floor, and was now clutching the doorframe for support, half-sitting, half-kneeling, the pile of bloodied clothes he'd been on his way to burn pooled around him like grisly accusations.

'_Kaname lied. He lied to defend _me._ Why would he do that?'_

A wave of guilt washed over him… he had savagely bitten the pureblood, drained him more than strictly necessary… it had been his fault Kuran had lost consciousness, and yet he had still protected Zero. Other emotions swirled through the guilt, and it took him a while to recognize them. Gratitude… and… loyalty? He realized now that he not only owed Kaname his sanity, but also his life… and that fact terrified him.

Not for the first time that night, he found himself thinking _'What have I done?'_

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**Special thanks to glozinga and SadisticYaoiFanSpaz for loyally reviewing each chapter!**


	5. Aftermath

**Just another reminder that I don't own Vampire Knight.**

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Zero woke from a fitful sleep which had been haunted by dreams of blood and grasping claws skittering over his flesh. He had not slept very much, but felt refreshed and energized regardless. He guessed he had Kuran to thank for that, but he'd be damned if he'd admit it. Sighing, he rose and began to get ready for breakfast.

x--x--x

Yuuki shuffled into the chairman's kitchen, still yawning. She'd decided to spend the night at his residence instead of going back to the dorm as she'd been out patrolling so late. She had also noticed that the door to the other guest bedroom was closed, meaning Zero was sleeping over too. At least she had found him, and she resolved that they'd have a little _chat_ about dereliction of duty as soon as he was up.

The chairman was standing over the stove preparing breakfast, but something about his demeanour implied that he had a weight on his mind. Usually he'd be so bright and enthusiastic in the mornings that even Yuuki would find it annoying, but today he seemed strangely subdued.

"Good morning chairman!" she greeted him cheerfully, but he only grunted in response, not even berating her for calling him by his title.

'_What is wrong with everyone?' _Yuuki wondered. '_Since last night everything seems different…'_ her musing was interrupted by footsteps, indicating Zero's arrival. He pulled out a chair and flung himself down heavily, scowling all the time. Yuuki smiled. At least one thing never changed – Zero was not a morning person.

"Hi there, _little brother_." She teased. Zero turned the full force of his amethyst glare on her.

"There's nothing good about it. And I'm _not_ your brother!" he spat. Usually, the chairman would intervene at this point and talk about being a happy family, but he seemed to be preoccupied with poaching eggs. Yuuki decided two could play this game. Taking a seat opposite her stoic fellow guardian, she glared right back at him.

"Where were you last night?" she asked tersely.

She might have been imagining it, but she could swear she saw him flinch.

"Nowhere."

"So you just ceased to exist?" she put as much sarcasm as she could muster into her tone.

He didn't answer, instead turning his attention to the table top, where he began to pick at a loose sliver of wood.

"Fine!" she huffed, exasperated by his noncommittal attitude. "The next time you decide to vanish into thin air, maybe you should stay there!"

If she was hoping to get a rise out of him, she was disappointed. He continued to stare fixedly at the table, but his eyes seemed softer. Almost… lost. She immediately felt bad for her outburst.

"Zero, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it! It's just, there was something strange going on with the night class and I…" she trailed off as Zero's fingers dug into the table. He seemed to realize what he was doing, and hurriedly removed his hand, putting it in his lap.

The chairman finally came over to the table, placing toast and eggs in the plates. He took a seat, then looked at his two young wards, sighing before he said "There's something you need to know."

Both of them looked at him, Yuuki in puzzlement and Zero with his usual impassivity.

"Kaname Kuran was attacked last night, by a group of assassins."

Yuuki's eyes widened, panic setting in. "K-Kaname? Is he okay?"

"He will be fine. Ichijo visited me last night to inform me of this. I am telling you, as guardians, so that you know to be on the lookout for anything strange. There will be additional security measures in place, such as members of the hunter's association around the campus, and I am sure the Vampire Council will send guards soon to escort the night class to and from the school buildings."

Zero gave a small nod, but seemed unperturbed. Yuuki, however, was staring at the chairman like he had grown an extra head. "You mean, you're going to let them keep going to class? What if something happens? Kaname could be in danger! Or the day class students if…"

The chairman held up a hand for silence. "It is essential that we send the message to whoever is behind the attack that they have achieved nothing. Also, we cannot allow word of this to spread – Ichijo has requested this as a personal favour, and I'm sure Kaname would want the same thing."

His tone indicated that he would brook no argument, then suddenly became jovial. "Now, eat your breakfast! You have classes to attend!"

Zero rolled his eyes, then attacked his toast with ravenous fervour. He was so _hungry..._ He hadn't eaten since yesterday, before… but he didn't want to think about that.

Yuuki watched him while only picking at her own food. She desperately wanted to go and see Kaname, to verify that he would be all right. She resolved to go after class. If he was still sleeping she would leave, but he was usually an early riser for a vampire.

x--x--x

For the first time he could remember, Kaname woke with a headache. It was highly unusual for a pureblood to manifest such a symptom, and it took him a while to assimilate the cause.

_He was… craving._

He had taken a lot of blood tablets before seeking his rest, but they were only ever designed to keep bloodlust at bay, not to replace the physical sustenance that real blood provided. His body was demanding what it needed to replenish itself after the damage it had taken, and however much he tried to deny it, he was going to have to feed soon. As if in response to that thought, he felt his fangs growing out to their full length, making his jaw ache. Trying to distract himself, he got up and walked over to his desk. He could tell from the intensity of the light surrounding the velvet curtains that it was probably mid afternoon, still hours before the others would awaken.

Absently, he found himself thinking about Kiriyu. His fingers traced down the left side of his throat, pausing over the vein Zero had driven his teeth into. The area was still sensitive, and always would be. There were a multitude of reasons why purebloods did not give away their blood lightly, and this was one of them. He was now attuned to Zero – he would be able to sense him when he was near, and if Kiriyu felt strong emotions, Kaname would feel them too. He smiled wryly to himself. Probably just as well… the next time the ex-human marched in here intent on killing him, he would at least have plenty of warning.

A hesitant knock on the door made him frown. Usually, he would've been able to sense someone approaching. The hunger must be taking more of a toll than he realized.

"Enter." he called softly.

The door was pushed slightly ajar, and one of the serving staff put her head into his room.

"Terribly sorry, Master Kaname, but there is a visitor who insisted on seeing you if you were awake."

"Who is it?"

"Yuuki Cross, the disciplinary committee girl. She's down in the parlour."

"I'll be there shortly."

The girl bobbed her head and shut the door. Pausing only to grab a glass and down some more blood tablets, Kaname made his way downstairs. He was barely in sight of the parlour when Yuuki flew from her position on the couch, racing up the stairs and throwing her arms around him. It was the kind of wholehearted embrace she used to give him before they had grown apart, and he savoured every second of it.

"Kaname! I'm so happy that you're okay! I was so worried when the chairman told us…"

"Shhh…" he soothed her, letting his hands trace patterns on her back, "Don't fret Yuuki. Everything is fine. I'll even be going to class tonight."

He walked her down the stairs and over to the couch.

"Sit with me a while."

She blushed furiously, but took a seat next to him just the same. He smiled, then put his arm around her, drawing her close so he could ruffle her hair. She sighed contentedly as his fingers sent tingles down her spine. She was so glad he was alive and well. She didn't know what she would do if…

"Kaname?" her voice was tentative, as she turned her head to look up at him.

"Yes, Yuuki?"

"Never…never leave me, okay?"

He smiled, everything else in the world forgotten as he lost himself in her eyes.

"No, Yuuki. Never."

x--x--x

It was time for the class changeover. Much as Zero wanted to stay as far away from Kuran as possible, he figured Yuuki wouldn't let him get away with ditching two nights in a row, so with a heavy heart he walked over to the gate where the day class girls were already beginning to gather. Ignoring them for now, he glanced around, scanning for Yuuki, but she didn't seem to be there.

Well, this was rich – this morning she came down on him like a ton of bricks for not being here, and this evening _she_ doesn't show.

'_Probably thinks it will teach me a lesson if I have to deal with these rabid fan girls on my own.' _Resigning himself to a long night, he began herding the admirers into a more orderly line.

The gates creaked open, and various screams rose from the waiting girls. It was usually harsh on Zero's sensitive hearing, but tonight it was agony. His patience was already wearing thin, although just as he was about to start handing out detentions, silence descended. He slowly turned towards the gate, where he saw… _Yuuki?_ She was walking out alone, the night class were nowhere to be seen yet. Instantly enraged, Zero grabbed her by the arm as soon as she was in reach, leaning down to hiss in her ear.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Haven't I told you not to go in there alone?"

"The chairman said I could. Besides, I was visiting Kaname, so I wasn't alone."

Zero let the subject drop, not willing to discuss the pureblood right now.

Another scream from the girls heralded the arrival of the night class. Aido and Kain walked in front as usual, followed by Rima, Ichijo and Shiki. Kuran glided along behind them, flanked by Ruka and Seiren. Kaname looked over at him and they made eye contact. For a second, the pureblood's confident step faltered and Zero took dark satisfaction in that, but as Kuran's gaze continued to linger on him, he began to feel uncomfortable. Still, he wasn't going to be the one to look away. A hand on his arm startled him so badly he almost yelped out loud. Yuuki stared at him.

"Hey, Zero, are you okay? You look a little sick…"

He shook his head. "It's nothing. Probably the chairman's cooking."

At that moment, Kaname drew level with the two guardians, stopping to thank Yuuki once more for her visit and for protecting the night class. He did not look at Zero again, but both of them were acutely aware of each other. Hoping to break the tension a little, Zero moved away to quiet a group of Aido's admirers. A few moments later though, as Kuran walked past him, he couldn't stop himself from whispering, "Thanks."

Kaname didn't acknowledge him or break stride, but the small smile on the pureblood's face told Zero he had heard.

* * *

**A note: this story might seem to be leaning more towards Kaname/Zero for a little while… blushes, guess I like that pairing more than I'm willing to admit. But if you think about it, Yuuki already likes both the guys and they each like her in turn, so the only side of the triangle that still needs to be closed belongs to Kaname and Zero. Before there can be KxYxZ, they have to be more accepting of each other, and somehow I don't see the two of them rushing into it, stubborn people that they are ;-)**

**Next chapter involves Yuuki in stalker mode (LOL, can you see it??), and "the talk" between Kaname & Zero. Maybe some ZeroxYuuki fluff too since Kaname had his turn this chapter… hmmm... scribbles down notes **

**Oh, and I love reviews… hint, hint :P**


	6. Realizations

Yuuki walked slowly down the winding corridors of the Academy, humming quietly to herself. It had been a peaceful night, even the usual flocks of night class admirers giving them no real trouble, but there was still a lot on Yuuki's mind. Zero had been acting strangely lately. She'd had her suspicions at breakfast, when he refused to tell her where he had been, and they'd been confirmed by his oddly distracted behaviour during the class changeover. She worried about him, especially since he would never talk about things that were bothering him.

She finally made it up to the rooftop which served as her usual vantage point. She could see the lights in the room the night class was using, and she let her gaze linger on the brightly lit window, or more specifically, on the dark-haired figure behind it. Kaname had his chin propped in his hand, and did not appear to be paying much attention to the lecture. Then again, as a pureblood who had lived many years, he was probably more knowledgeable than the teacher. She smiled at that, thinking it was quite ironic.

She began scanning the vegetation surrounding the building she was standing on, making sure no day class students were lurking about, hoping for a photo opportunity. Her inspection was cut short, however, when she caught sight of Zero lounging against a tree trunk, nonchalant as always. Vaulting over the railing, she went over to him.

"Slacking again, Zero?" she asked, but her voice was light, letting him know she was only teasing.

"I could ask you the same thing." he retorted. "You've been on that rooftop gazing at Kuran for ages. An entire legion of opportunistic fangirls could've snuck by and you… OW!" he rubbed his arm where she had punched him.

"Serves you right!" she huffed, but she was secretly pleased that Zero was taunting her. It meant that he was getting back to normal after whatever he'd been dealing with this last while. She really wanted to know what was going on with him, but she knew Zero would just get defensive the moment she started to pry. Still, she couldn't help herself.

"Zero… why are you so distant lately?"

Zero stiffened, not liking the turn this conversation was taking. He looked at Yuuki, wanting to tell her to leave him alone, but the sincere worry in her eyes was disarming. The words died in his throat, and then it was just the two of them, in silence, holding each other's gaze. Zero's chest felt tight with some emotion he couldn't name, and he kept noticing small details without meaning to… the way Yuuki's hair was moving in the slight breeze, the faint scent of rain and wildflowers coming off her skin, how her lips looked so soft and inviting… he found himself leaning forward, unable to fight the magnetic pull of her warmth and proximity.

_Zero was going to kiss her!_ She froze, not even daring to breathe for fear of him realizing what he was doing and deciding against it. His lavender eyes never left hers as he closed the distance between them, and then his cool, silky lips were brushing against hers gently. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she willed this moment to continue forever. His arms snaked around her waist as his lips continued their slow exploration of hers, and he drew her closer until she was resting against his body.

It was unforgivable. He shouldn't be doing this, but then why, _why_ could he not stop himself? He wanted to melt into her, soothe her when she was upset, and hold her tightly when she was afraid… but he knew he would only end up hurting her. She deserved more than a filthy beast like him. Even if he wouldn't fall to level E anymore, he was still a vampire. And as Yuuki herself had once said, there was a line they couldn't cross. Yet here he was, one foot already over that line, taking advantage like the monster he was. Disgusted with himself, he pulled back, wanting to get away before he could do any more damage, but she had both hands curled into his jacket and she refused to let go.

"Zero…" her voice was husky and breathless. "Please don't run away again."

Ceasing his frantic attempts at escape, he tried to find words that would express how much she meant to him, and that it was only because of his flaw that they couldn't be together. In the end though, he settled for remaining quiet as usual, allowing her to pull him down so they were sitting against the tree, hand in hand, gazing at the stars. It was only a few, stolen moments before they had to part again to assume their duties, but as Zero headed towards the moon dorms leaving Yuuki to patrol near the school buildings, he found that he was actually smiling – and that he liked it.

x--x--x

Kaname was irritated. He was currently sitting in class, but he couldn't concentrate on the lecture because _he_ was somewhere close by. Kaname's neck was tingling in a very distracting way, alerting him to Zero's presence. At first he'd thought it would pass, that the guardian was just making his rounds and would soon move away, but the tingle had persisted. Resting his chin on the palm of his hand, he tried to unobtrusively rub over the offending area, but of course, that didn't help.

Suddenly, a strange flicker of emotion shot through his mind... desire, followed by regret, with a hint of sadness. He nearly jumped out of his seat, but stopped himself as it occurred to him he was probably feeling Zero's emotions, not his own. He had to stop himself a second time when he came to realize that only one person would inspire such strong feelings in the ex-human. _Yuuki_. Forcing himself to calm down, he tried to reason that it was inconsequential what Zero felt for Yuuki, because those feelings might not be mutual. Besides, the emotions were fleeting, and the moment had obviously passed. Still, he was unable to focus, and he could pretend no longer. Rising to his feet, he excused himself. He needed fresh air…yes - fresh air, and perhaps a little _chat_ with Kiriyu.

He walked slowly, savouring the crisp night. The grounds were bathed in pale moonlight, tingeing the shadows with silver luminescence. He raised his hand absently to his neck again. The tingle was fading, signifying that Zero was moving further away. Turning towards the line of trees which marked the start of the thin strip of forest that ran within the Academy's border, he finally came to a small clearing, surrounded by massive trees.

This would do nicely.

Closing his eyes, he sought out the faint pathway connecting him to Zero's mind. It was difficult as their bond only went one way, but Kaname was a pureblood, and had more mental strength than other vampires. Finding the link, he began planting a suggestion in the hunter's mind. Just two words, because maintaining the link was tiring.

_Find. Me._

x--x--x

Yuuki was just rounding the corner of one of the Academy's main buildings when a sudden movement drew her attention. A flash of silver hair… _Zero?_ But he was supposed to be patrolling around the moon dorms! She was about to call out to him, when she noticed he was walking with a sense of purpose.

_Where are you going Zero?_

Perhaps his destination would tell her more about what was bothering him. She hadn't failed to notice that despite the fact they were now… _closer_ than ever, he still hadn't confided in her.

Taking care to remain upwind and slipping as silently as possible from one bit of cover to the next, she carefully began following him.

x--x--x

Only a few minutes passed before Zero emerged from the tree line into the clearing.

"Kiriyu."

"Look, Kuran, we both know we need to talk. So let's just do this."

Kaname inclined his head in assent. This would be interesting. He decided to let the ex-human speak first. He could ask about Yuuki later.

"Then talk." he said.

Zero began pacing restlessly. "Although I never asked for it, you saved me from level E. I'm grateful, but I hate the fact that I owe you anything. I can't stand to think you saved me out of pity."

"Understand one thing – I saved you to be Yuuki's shield. For that reason and that reason alone I allowed you to drink my blood. Blood which I have _never_ given to another. The only one you are indebted to is Yuuki. I did not say that you owed me anything personally."

The strangest expression crossed the hunter's face. Kaname couldn't really identify it until the accompanying emotion flickered through their link. Guilt.

When Kiriyu spoke again, his voice was almost a whisper.

"I thought you wanted them to kill me. So you could have Yuuki. When you didn't stop Aido and Kain from searching…I only found out the truth later, when Ichijo told the chairman."

"Did you think so little of me, Kiriyu? That I would resort to sacrificing my blood just to ensure your death?"

"I…I'm sorry. I was angry. Angry that you forced me into something I didn't want. And angry that I owe you not just my sanity, but my life!"

Zero's voice was kept low, but Kaname heard the resentment in his tone.

"I told you, there is no debt to me."

"Yes, Kuran – there is. And I would settle that debt, here and now."

Kaname raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding. The guardian's next words, however, sent a jolt straight to his soul.

"What I'm trying to say is…if… if you want blood – you can take mine."

Kaname tried to deny it, but small tremors of hunger were running through him at the offer.

"If I believed for one second that you meant that…"

"Why would you think that I don't?" Zero was getting annoyed. He was making a huge sacrifice by offering this to Kuran, and resented it being thrown back at him this way.

Kaname smirked. "Why?" Before Zero could track any movement, he was pinned to the trunk of a tree, Kuran's arm across his chest. He raised his hands to push the pureblood away, but remembered his promise, and let them fall back to his sides. Kaname leaned in, warm breath skating across Zero's throat, sending shivers through his nerves and raising the hairs on his skin.

Zero shut his eyes tightly, trying to suppress the instinctive urge to fight against this.

"Just – just get it over with Kuran." He tried to keep his voice steady, but couldn't quite manage it.

Kaname gave a low chuckle. "This is why I don't believe you. You pretend to offer yourself to me, yet you're absolutely terrified I will accept. You still have nightmares about Shizuka, don't you?"

Zero couldn't bring himself to answer, rage constricting his throat. He clenched his hands into fists, but remained otherwise motionless. He refused to allow even the slightest weakness to show while he was in the hands of his enemy.

"Hmmm, I thought so." Kaname's voice was low and dangerous. "Very well then Kiriyu… if you're certain…"

x--x--x

Yuuki turned her back on the two figures in the clearing, her heart racing at twice the normal speed… and not just from fear either. There was something…almost _seductive_ in the way Kaname had driven Zero back against the tree, pressing his whole body up against Zero's. And his voice had even made _her_ knees feel weak. Her cheeks burned as she considered the implications of what she'd seen and overheard.

Zero wasn't going to become a level E… and Kaname had done it for her.

She was so torn, newly discovered feelings for Zero warring with lifelong attraction to Kaname… it was too much for one soul to bear, and she felt like it would rip her apart. Tears began streaming down her face, drying in the wind as she turned and ran, indifferent to the branches that caught her arms like skeletal fingers, scratching and clawing at them until only a faint trail of blood marked her moonlit flight.

x--x--x

Zero tensed and bit his lip as Kuran's tongue snaked over his jugular in a sensual caress, seeking out the pulsing river of life that lay just beneath the skin. He tried to remain calm, but when the ivory points of the pureblood's canines touched him, he gave a jolt, unable to stay still. A cold sweat broke out all over his body. Unbidden images of slashing claws, pain and blood assaulted him… _Shizuka holding him motionless, his struggles meaning nothing as his life left him to feed her despicable existence… his parent's screams as they were ripped apart… and __**her**__ voice repeating… _'You belong to me…'

Kaname had never intended to bite Zero. He was merely trying to prove that the ex-human's bold offer was made under false pretences. But when he traced his tongue over Zero's skin… it just tasted _incredible…_ bloodlust hit Kaname full force - he felt his teeth lengthening, his vision growing sharper as his eyes began to glow with crimson flame. _Damn it…_ just when he could least afford this loss of composure. His extended fangs were now pressing dangerously into Kiriyu's throat, and he was about to pull back when Zero gave a strangled gasp and bucked into him, driving Kaname's fangs through his flesh. Taken completely by surprise, Kaname opened his mouth, only to have the exotic taste of Zero's blood flood it in a heady rush. _Oh…hell… yes!_ Kaname had been denying himself too long, and the taste of real, hot, thick blood was exquisite.

Kaname could feel the threads of the bond taking hold, seeming to wrap around his heart like burning wires. He knew now that it was far too late to turn back, they would be bonded for life, and although his rational mind knew this was yet another complication he could not countenance, the dark, instinctive side of him didn't care … for the first time in what seemed like ages, he let his iron control slip, giving in to the rising beast inside, completely losing himself in Zero's blood. It tasted so… invigorating, clean and tangy with hints of cinnamon and earthy mint. He was vaguely aware that he was draining the hunter much too harshly, but every vampire instinct in him screamed for more.

Zero was pulled from his fevered visions by the realisation that he was once again at the mercy of a pureblood. Kuran was taking his blood in deep, greedy draughts, and Zero was already starting to weaken. He reached out his arms, bringing his hands up behind Kaname's back to rest on the pureblood's shoulders in an attempt to stay standing while everything began to blur around the edges and his consciousness threatened to spiral towards the midnight void. Eventually, he collapsed, his legs unable to hold him, and the pureblood went down with him, now crouching over Zero like a tiger over its prey.

This abject surrender to his darkest nature felt so utterly, sinfully good… He growled against Zero's throat as they fell, biting deeper, intensifying the pain in the hopes of wringing a response from his victim. Zero's fingers dug harder into Kaname's shoulders, as he let out a small, agonised moan.

"_Aahng…_ K…Kaname, stop…"

Perhaps it was the use of his first name, which he had never heard Zero use before, or perhaps the frustrated helplessness in the voice, the hallmark of a strong spirit treacherously close to being broken. Maybe a bit of both these things, but something reached through the crimson haze and Kaname suddenly came back to himself, the beast retreating, satiated, to the back of his mind. Horrified at his loss of control, he immediately released Zero's throat, irrational panic seizing him when he realised the other boy was unresponsive.

A hurried check confirmed that Zero was alive, although his wounds were still bleeding sluggishly. Kaname began gently coaxing them to close with his tongue, running it smoothly over the hunter's neck, thoroughly enjoying the sensation despite himself. It was natural for a blood bond to extend to physical intimacy, and Kaname found nothing wrong with being this close to Zero, especially in this thrillingly vulnerable condition.

Zero's neck was on fire… no, not quite, just burning with an unimaginably intense series of sensations… he moaned, wanting more, weakly reaching up to thread his hand in the dark hair of his lover. Wait. _Lover? _Since when did he… memory flooded back in a rush.

"Aargh! Kuran you bastard! What are you doing?"

He tried extricating himself from under the pureblood, but he didn't have much strength to struggle.

"Call me Kaname again… I love the way you say it…" Kaname punctuated each phrase by placing alternate licks and nibbles on Zero's ultra-sensitive throat.

_What the hell was happening?!_

Zero tried to ignore the molten desire lighting up his veins… tried to tell himself this was _so… damn… wrong!_ But in truth, it felt incredible every time Kaname's velvet tongue slid over the still-healing flesh… and his breath chilling Zero's wet skin between licks… it was a maelstrom of sensory input. Zero's breathing came in pants and gasps, and he found himself clutching the pureblood's shoulders once more, arching into Kaname's touch as lengthened nails gently slid across Zero's ribs. Tired of resisting, Zero allowed his hands to start roaming across the tightly corded muscles in Kaname's back… savouring the way that made the pureblood moan.

They were caught up in each other, twined together, writhing on the forest floor, heat threatening to consume them, but however preoccupied they were, the bloodcurdling scream cut through their senses like a jagged knife.

_Yuuki._

* * *

**Don't hate me for the cliffhanger!**

**- Runs and hides -**

**Cookies for your thoughts? Hope you guys enjoyed!**

**To all my reviewers, thanks, you rock!!**


	7. Sinister Gaze

In the trees just beyond the clearing, the silent watcher scowled and bit back a curse as both vampires jumped up and ran off towards the sound. He'd been so close to achieving his objective… his hands curled into fists at his sides. Still, he was no stranger to disappointment. There would be other opportunities. He turned silently and stalked away, his black cloak whipping around his ankles like shadowy tendrils. His employer would need to be informed of this complication.

x--x--x

In less than a second, Kaname and Zero were on their feet and rushing through the trees. There hadn't been a second scream, and that made them both run faster.

There were sounds of a struggle ahead, leaves crackling, clothes shifting and harsh voices. Kaname gave Zero a meaningful glance and a small jerk of the head. Zero understood, and split off to the left. There was obviously more than one opponent, so parting ways and attacking from different directions would be the wisest course of action, giving at least one of them the element of surprise.

What Zero saw when he broke through the trees to the well-manicured lawn next to the lake sent an icy chill of fear through his whole being. Five vampires bent over a whimpering figure, baring their fangs and preparing to bite any piece of exposed flesh. A deadly calm washed over him as he allowed his well-honed hunter instincts to take control. He reached into his jacket and pulled out the Bloody Rose, while already calculating the best shots in his head. He needed to distract them first, before they could hurt Yuuki. His voice was not loud, but it carried the promise of swift retribution.

"Get away from her or die."

As one, the black-clad figures straightened up to assess the threat. One of them – Zero took him to be the leader by the way the others seemed to look to him for guidance – took a step towards him, both hands extended in a gesture of surrender.

"Now, now, I'm sure there's no need for this unpleasantness. My men and I were merely tired and hungry after our long journey; we were only going to take a little…" His eyes shifted down to Zero's collar, where dark smudges of blood were still visible. "Or perhaps, you've come to offer yourself instead? It seems the vampires in this academy truly have strange tastes…"

Before Zero could say anything more, the very air around them seemed to chill. A figure came striding out of the forest behind the group, exuding menace.

"What is the meaning of this?" Kaname's voice was like frozen steel.

All five of them spun around. The leader only flinched, but his men were visibly panicked and took several hasty steps back from the irate pureblood before remembering themselves and sinking into formal bows. Somewhat more stiffly, the leader acknowledged Kaname in the same way.

"Apologies, my Lord. We meant no offence…"

As one, all of them began making hasty excuses and expressing their regrets.

"Silence." the command was absolute. "I have no interest in the rest of you." Kaname glared at the leader. "_You_ will explain."

When he found his voice, it was shaky. "We were sent by the Council, my Lord. We are your personal security detail."

"I see. Were you briefed on the rules of this institution?" his gaze intensified, and the commander found he could not lie.

"Yes, my Lord."

"Then I hold you personally responsible for the actions of your subordinates. This – _incident_ – will not be forgotten. In fact, were it not for the abundance of infuriating paperwork it would cause, I would kill you where you stand." Kaname swept his eyes across the rest of the guards. "The next one of you to even contemplate touching any student at this academy _will_ forfeit their life. Am I clear?"

Murmurs of assent came from the others.

"Good. You will accompany me at once."

They assumed formation, flanking Kaname on either side. The pureblood turned to Zero, but did not meet his eyes. "Kiriyu, see to Yuuki."

Zero could only nod, putting away his gun before turning to where Yuuki lay on the grass. Her eyes were open, although she didn't seem to be registering much of her surroundings. He knelt next to her, wanting to put a hand on her arm but not knowing how she would react to being touched right now.

"Yuuki? Are you okay?"

His voice seemed to get through to her, because she turned her head towards him.

"Ze…ro?" she blinked for a few moments, trying to collect her thoughts. When her hand flew to her mouth and she gasped, he knew she had remembered.

"Shh, it's all right. They're gone now. Let me help you up." He reached out a hand to her, and was glad when she took it without hesitation. He pulled her gently to her feet, and she leaned against him for support, her knees still feeling weak from shock.

"Did they hurt you?" he asked. He could smell blood, but it wasn't fresh. He knew she hadn't been bitten, but he thought she might have other injuries. She shook her head though. He looked down at where her hand was clutching his arm, and noticed several scratches. He took her hand in his, lifting it so he could see it better.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Those are nothing - I just… got caught in some brambles earlier."

He raised an eyebrow, but decided not to interrogate her further.

"Let's get you back to the chairman's so we can clean them."

She gave him a smile. "Thanks Zero."

He shrugged, as if to say _it was __nothing, _but the concern in his eyes told her otherwise.

x--x--x

Later, Zero sat on the windowsill, gazing into the darkness. His mind kept returning to the night's events, playing them again and again, like a silent film he had no control over. He didn't know what had possessed him in that clearing. He had followed a strange compulsion and gone to talk things out with Kuran, but somehow they had ended up intertwined on the forest floor..._exploring_ each other. If it hadn't been for Yuuki, he really might have done something he would always regret.

He blamed it on instinct – on his vampire nature dominating his rational mind. In fact, he _had_ felt strangely detached from the situation, like he was watching it from afar rather than... participating. He told himself over and over that it didn't matter, it was nothing. Just another of the pureblood's sick games – of course, Kuran knew all about how to provoke a vampire's true nature, and it would be just like him to give Zero a stark reminder of his cursed existence. A reminder of how the debt Zero owed him could never_ truly_ be paid, not with the blood of a mere ex-human. A low growl escaped him as he thought back to the scene at the lake. Kaname's cruelly casual dismissal -

_'Kiriyu, see to Yuuki.'_

- as if nothing had happened. As if Zero had not offered Kaname the one thing he had sworn he would never allow another vampire, let alone a pureblood, to have. But the thing that riled Zero most, was that Kaname had said it as if _Yuuki_ didn't matter. And _that,_ Zero could not easily forgive.

x--x--x

Feelings were strange things, Yuuki decided. Just when you thought you understood them, they eluded your grasp by changing. A few days ago, Zero was just a brother, a constant, someone to rely on. Now she was so confused… she had enjoyed the kiss, the feeling of closeness it brought, and the way it had made Zero smile afterwards. But there were her feelings for Kaname to consider, which made her feel guilty as well.

Then she had followed Zero to the clearing. She had thought her emotions were a tangled mess before, but after seeing the lengths both men she cared so deeply for would go to in order to prove to each other who loved and deserved her most, it had been as if all her feelings had shattered into a million shards, all strewn across her heart, and she couldn't distinguish one emotion from the other. Couldn't distinguish one _love_ from the other.

Silent tears began to trail down her cheeks. If she was honest with herself, she knew now that she loved both Kaname _and_ Zero. She had been so blind for so long, telling herself Kaname was just a crush, Zero just a friend…

She also knew that soon, she would have to choose one over the other… it would be unfair of her not to. That wasn't what made her cry though. No, it was the knowledge that by choosing one, she would forfeit the other…

_Zero?_

_Kaname?_

… and right now, she wasn't sure she could picture her life without either one of them.

x--x--x

Kaname had maintained his threatening aura as he made his way across the campus towards the moon dorms. None of the guards had dared speak since they'd left the lake, and for that Kaname was profoundly grateful. He could barely keep control of his rage as it was. Yuuki had almost been viciously mauled by this group of uncivilised scum… it made him want to rip something to shreds. To make things worse, he'd been forced to hide his worry for Yuuki, leaving her in Kiriyu's care. He had so badly wanted to stay with her and see to her wellbeing himself, but these guards were the eyes and ears of the Council. He needed to maintain his carefully cultivated air of detachment in front of them, or risk people like Asato Ichijo gaining information to use against him.

Once they were inside, he sent for Takuma, asking him to ensure the guards were made comfortable. The commander began to protest that as his security detail, they should be with him at all times, but he quelled that argument with a single glance before heading up to his room to be alone with his thoughts.

He felt better after he had taken a shower, but that was only on the surface. Nagging doubts were beginning to take hold in his mind, and all of them centred on what had happened with Zero.

It was easy enough to attribute his own momentary lapse in good judgement to the newly-forged bond. The need for physical closeness was always worse when it was fresh, and especially so when one of the bonded vampires was a pureblood. But there was something else at work, Kaname would have sworn to it. Kiriyu had acted so boldly, as if he too had lost all his inhibitions, and that was very strange as his bloodline was not pure.

The bond might explain a lot, but it couldn't justify why he had gotten the distinct sense of being watched in that clearing. He'd ignored it at the time, being more preoccupied with losing himself in the silver-haired hunter's blood… but now… now it was starting to bother him. It had been a very disconcerting feeling, as if someone was not just watching, but manipulating him. It occurred to Kaname that he would never usually ignore such a sense, and he began to realize that perhaps he _had_ been influenced in some way. Absently running a hand through his hair, the pureblood sighed. It seemed the peace here was once again under threat.

x--x--x

Footsteps broke the silence of the early morning air. A tall, lean figure strode towards the gates of Cross Academy, where a second, shorter figure leaned against the gatepost, obscured by a black cloak which seemed to blend with the shadows.

The tall one spoke.

"You have something to report?"

"Yes. There has been a slight delay…"

A long-fingered, elegant hand was held up for silence.

"The reasons are unimportant. I can see I need to take a more active role."

"Meaning?"

A smirk, exposing even white teeth.

"It's time I went back to school."

* * *

**So many reviews, cookies for all!**


	8. The Origin of Evil

The black-clad watcher remained leaning against the gatepost for a few minutes after the tall form of his employer had passed through the arches of wrought iron. Eventually, he left the gates and slipped sinuously through the trees, a liquid shadow. The sun was about to rise, and he would seek his rest.

Once, the watcher had a family and a true name, but he'd carefully erased all traces of the past that still haunted him. Now, he was known only as Kagechi. However much he tried to deny it though, his history would often resurface, if only in his memories.

He was the firstborn son of a high-ranking family of nobles. All their hopes had been resting on his shoulders. For the first few years of his life, he had been the center of attention; the pride of his parents and relatives. Then, one day, his whole world had changed.

The other noble children his age had started showing signs of the gifts they would eventually master. This one could command wind, that one water; some could manipulate earth or fire. Others had flashy mental powers, like telepathy or telekinesis.

Nothing like that had happened to him.

Concerned, his parents had sent him to the foremost vampire specialists for tests, but while they couldn't find anything wrong, they had also not been able to unlock any special powers. Time passed, a good three years after all the others had first displayed their talents.

Still nothing.

There were rumors, whispers, that he wasn't a full noble at all, but rather the bastard offspring of an illicit union with a lowborn servant. After the fourth year, he had almost started to believe that himself.

Where once he had been put on display, he was now confined to his room and not allowed out much. When his parents finally had a second son, he had been sent away to a school for the "frail". So many nights he had been in that horrible place, hating himself for his unforgivable weakness - until he had begun to discover that he could…_affect_ other vampires.

It started when he'd been caught stealing food from the kitchens by the matron. She had been about to take him to the director, where he knew he would be whipped, and he found himself wishing she would let him go and just forget the whole incident. He stared up at her, helplessly, chanting over and over in his head _'leave me, forget me, leave me, forget me…'_ when suddenly, something in his mind seemed to _shift _and the matron's eyes glazed over. She dropped his arm, turned, and walked away. She never mentioned the incident to anyone, and he wasn't punished, although the next day he had a terrible headache.

Ecstatic at the thought that perhaps he _finally_ had a power, he set about experimenting, but he found that he couldn't affect his classmates at all. He could still feel the strange _shift_, and he still got headaches, but they wouldn't obey his thoughts as the matron had. He spent time studying the differences between the matron and his fellow students. All he could find was that the matron had this… _thread_ that he could detect, which the others were lacking. It was that thread that allowed him into her mind to manipulate her. Intrigued, he started reading up on the physiology of his race. It was a sentence in a book on bonding that finally answered all his questions.

_--  
__Bonding may be defined as a __"psychic thread" which connects two vampires.  
_--

He began to realize that he could sense, and manipulate, bonds. It was difficult at times, and mentally draining, especially if the victim was strong-willed, but if he concentrated he could take hold of the bond and plant suggestions in the minds of the vampires who shared it. Further experimentation led him to discover that in some cases the threads seemed stronger, and he could grasp them more easily. The same book (which he had long since stolen from the library) clarified the reasons for this.

_--  
__There are three known levels of bonding. The first level is established whenever one vampire drinks the blood of another. This bond is weak, and fades in time__ unless renewed. _

_The second level is the reciprocal bond, where a vampire takes blood from another while a first-level bond exists between them. A reciprocal bond is for life and cannot be broken. _

_The third type of bond is rare, even among mated pairs. Known as the double-bond, this occurs when two vampires share blood with each other simultaneously. In order to create this bond, the feeding must continue for longer than a minute, and the wounds must have been inflicted by mutual biting. The bond will not __form unless both parties offer their blood freely to each other. The double-bond is the strongest bond in existence. It opens a telepathic pathway between the bondmates, and allows them to share each other's thoughts, feelings and powers.  
__-- _

He had escaped from the school that night. As far as his family knew, he was dead. He began selling his talents to the highest bidder, breaking alliances, cementing political takeovers, helping disgruntled spouses get revenge… even doing some assassination on the side. His reputation spread, and he reveled in his notoriety. Finally he was being acknowledged as powerful, a man in his own right.

All that had been left to do was tidy up the loose ends.

The bodies of his estranged family had eventually been found, but of the killer, there had been no trace.

x--x--x

Being an early riser, the chairman was already settled in his office with a cup of tea, watching the sunrise, when there was a knock on his door. It was not uncommon for Kaname to come and see him at this time, so he wasn't surprised.

"Enter."

The door creaked open, revealing a tall, silver-haired boy with lavender eyes. The chairman had been expecting him, but not so soon. He had hoped he would have the chance to talk to Zero first, so that the shock of what he was going to have to do would be less… still, it couldn't be helped.

"Ichiru! Welcome. Please, come in, sit down."

Ichiru smiled at him, and it was very strange to see those particular features smiling, even if the smile didn't quite reach Ichiru's eyes. It seemed he was indeed very different from his brother.

"Thank you." Ichiru seated himself in of the visitor's chairs, keeping his smile in place. He needed to fool this old twit into thinking he was truly reformed, and wished to be a good student.

"As per your application, you will be assigned a room in the day class dormitory. Your request for a single room could unfortunately not be accommodated; we are rather full. There is only one space currently available… and you did say you wanted to reacquaint yourself with Zero…"

x--x--x

Zero hadn't been able to sleep. He'd had a strange sense of foreboding that he hadn't been able to shake, and combined with the mess that was last night, it weighed heavily on his mind. He had not yet forsaken his position on the windowsill, but now he finally unfurled cramped muscles and stood. Grabbing his towel, he decided to go to the chairman's residence for a shower as the dorm bathroom was still closed. Perhaps the warm water would clear his head.

x--x--x

Ichiru contemplated the reasons for his return as he settled in to the dorm room he now shared with his twin. Zero had not yet returned from whatever early-morning errand he was on. Perhaps he was with that foolish girl, Yuuki. That brought a smirk to his face… she would also suffer in what was to come, and serve her right for her involvement the night of Shizuka's death. He had been in hiding abroad since that night, orchestrating his plans for revenge from afar, but now he had found it necessary to come back to Cross Academy to have a face-to-face talk with Kagechi, and keep a closer eye on his best weapon.

Of course, that was not the only reason he had come back. He also wanted to be close to his brother when everything began coming apart. He wanted to see the misery in his twin's eyes and hope that Zero could feel even one tenth of the pain he had caused Ichiru.

He'd known that soft-hearted chairman would be unable to refuse his application, in the hopes that he and Zero could patch things up, but the room assignment had been a surprise. Still, it put him in the perfect position to observe each part of his plan.

Progress thus far had been less than satisfactory, but Ichiru would soon remedy that. Kagechi was useful; and had provided good information, but had at the same time proven to be a bit of a wildcard.

It had taken Ichiru a considerable time to trace him, and his services did not come cheaply. Thankfully Ichiru had been the one in charge of all Shizuka's finances. She had never wanted to be bothered with mundane things like money. Ichiru smiled sadly. At times he felt like she was watching over him still.

He missed her intensely; every time he thought of her it made his heart ache, but at the same time he had to admit that it was liberating to be in control of his own destiny for once.

He had always been the obedient one in the shadows. With Yagari, with his parents, with Zero… even with Shizuka. She had not treated him as anything but a faithful pet until the moment she died. If only he had known sooner that the reason she refused his blood was that she cared for him. His bitterness towards his brother had blinded him to that fact – yet another crime Zero deserved to atone for.

'_Yes',_ he thought, '_soon Zero will pay for __**all**__ his sins_.'

He perched himself on the windowsill, awaiting the return of his brother.

x--x--x

There were many things that drove people to commit malevolent acts. Greed, lust, power, money. A multitude of motives to blacken the soul which led to unspeakable crimes. For both Ichiru and Kagechi though, the reason lay elsewhere. For them, the origin of evil was simply the absence of love; which was perhaps the worst tragedy of all.

* * *

**A note on Kagechi:**

**Yes, I know - he's an OC… -aaah!- But don't worry, he's just there to be one of the bad guys, not really a main character. I considered cutting down on his history, but I felt it laid a foundation for some important concepts that needed to be explained.**

**A note on Ichiru:**

**He truly has been a pawn all his life. That's why I wanted him as the villain in this story – as opposed to say Asato Ichijo or Rido Kuran. I just think Ichiru is a character with hidden depths who deserves a chance to act as a free agent. Plus he's twisted, who knows what sick schemes he can come up with? – and also, I think the tension between the brothers is awesome :) **


	9. Consequences

The front door of the chairman's residence opened just as Zero was on his way to leave. The chairman bustled in, his scarf trailing behind him like a flag.

"Ah! There you are Zero – I'm glad I caught you. There's something you need to know."

Zero eyed him mistrustfully, knowing that whatever it was, it wouldn't be good.

"Ichiru arrived this morning." he tried to keep his tone light, not wanting to provoke Zero prematurely.

Zero's eyes narrowed. "So? I already told you that you could do what you liked with his application, but don't expect me to care. As long as he stays away from me…"

The chairman attempted to assume a blank expression, but he knew that traces of his discomfiture would be showing. Taking a deep breath, he spoke.

"You're not going to like what I say next, but I ask that you give me time to explain myself before you do anything – ah – rash…"

The silence in the room was deafening.

"Ichiru will be sharing your dorm room."

All hell broke loose.

"WHAT? My _room_? Have you lost your mind? Last time I saw him we tried to kill each other! And now you want us to _live_ together? How could you be so stupid?"

The chairman interrupted his rant before it became physically violent.

"Please, calm down Zero – I assure you, I mistrust your brother as much as you do. I don't believe for a second that he is only here to make amends. I want him to stay with you because you are the only one who is able to keep an eye on him, and stop him if he shows any sign of getting out of hand. I understand your resentment, but please, for the sake of all the students at the academy, I need you to watch him."

Zero closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them, the chairman could see anguish hiding behind the anger.

"How can you ask me to do that? You want me to go to sleep in the same room as the person who sold out my entire family to Shizuka? The one who ended my life as surely as if he'd killed me with his own hands? You ask me to 'watch him', as if he is only a mischievous child, when in fact he is a liar, a traitor to his family. I… I can't. And I won't. You have no right to expect this of me!"

The chairman shrugged. He hadn't wanted to stoop to this, but he had to persuade Zero somehow.

"Very well. In that case, you will be transferred to the night class effective immediately. I will send word to Kaname to have a room prepared…"

Zero's glare became glacial.

"I. Will. Not. Live. With _them_!"

"Unfortunately those are the only options. The day dorms are full, and I can't put Ichiru in the night class as he isn't a vampire. I won't let you stay here, either. It's creating a bad precedent. So I'm afraid you'll have to make a choice…"

Zero scowled, realizing he'd been outmaneuvered.

"Fine!" he snarled, "This round goes to you – old man. But I swear, if Ichiru even _breathes_ wrong, I can't be held responsible for what I might do."

The chairman knew that was as close to acceptance as Zero would come, and smiled wryly as the boy stormed out.

Sometimes, you just had to know how to handle teenagers.

x--x--x

It was difficult to keep going towards his room when he knew what was waiting on the other side of the door, but somehow Zero managed it. He stood in the corridor, hesitant to go inside, while tried to convince himself that perhaps Ichiru wouldn't be there… but it was no use. Aside from the fact that he knew Ichiru would want to wait for him just to cause him misery, Zero's acute hearing could pick up the soft sounds of breathing within. Steeling himself, he turned the knob and pushed open the door.

His twin was sitting nonchalantly on the windowsill, as if he had lived in this room all his life. His only acknowledgment to Zero's entrance was a slight nod. _'Fine,'_ Zero thought, _'at least I don't have to make small talk.'_ Stoically ignoring his twin, Zero went to hang up the towel and grabbed his uniform jacket off the back of the chair. Classes were starting soon. He pulled on the jacket, checked that the Bloody Rose was in its usual place, and headed for the door, hoping to get away before Ichiru deigned to talk to him. He froze, one hand extended towards the doorknob, when he heard movement behind him. A hand was placed on his shoulder, and he shook it off, whirling to glare at its owner.

"_Don't_ touch me."

Ichiru just smiled, a slow smirk which made Zero's blood boil.

"Aren't you going to greet your own brother Zero? How rude…"

Red seemed to descend across Zero's vision. He grabbed Ichiru by the throat, driving him back against the wall.

"I am _not_ your brother any more. You are dead to me. I only tolerate your presence here because there is more at stake than petty revenge. But understand one thing – if I find out your intentions are anything less than strictly honorable, I will not hesitate to kill you. After all, I am a _monster_ now, as I'm sure you recall."

The smirk hadn't left Ichiru's face, despite the fact that Zero was cutting off his air. Contemplating whether Ichiru would stop smiling if he were dead, Zero didn't notice the approaching footsteps, but he did hear the gasp.

"Zero! Stop it, please!"

And then Yuuki was grabbing hold of him, trying to make him let go.

Reluctantly, he released Ichiru's windpipe before simply turning around and leaving the room. He could hear Yuuki talking to Ichiru, asking if he was okay… it made Zero want to hit something. He hated the fact that Ichiru was able to make him lose control that way, with nothing more than a smile and a touch. He couldn't explain it to anybody else - it was something you had to have a twin to understand. The two of them had been inseparable as children, and Ichiru had violated that ultimate trust… Zero shuddered. He needed to stop thinking of the past if he was to have any hope of living with his twin. Otherwise, one of them was going to end up dead.

x--x--x

After finally getting rid of that annoyingly conscientious girl, Ichiru sat in the silence of the room, absently rubbing his throat. Who would have thought that Zero would be so easy to rile? This was going to be _fun._ Zero's words echoed in his mind -

'_A__fter all, I am a __**monster**__ now.'_

Yes… a monster - and every monster has its weakness. Ichiru laughed, a low, mirthless chuckle.

He needed to talk to Kagechi.

x--x--x

Yuuki hurried after Zero, hoping to catch up to him before he made it to class. She'd been shocked at the scene she'd found earlier. She had never seen Zero look so… murderous. Not even the first time he'd met Kaname, when he'd stabbed the pureblood with a table knife. She really wanted to talk to Zero. She knew he must be going through a lot lately, and she wanted to help him.

At last she caught sight of him, but he was heading away from the classrooms. She only hesitated a moment before following. Some things were more important than school.

x--x--x

Zero had been unable to bear the thought of going to class when there was a chance _he_ would be there. Instead, he headed towards the lake, where there was an interesting rock formation at the foot of some trees. It was a secluded spot which was out of the line of sight of all the academy's windows, and he often went there to be alone with his thoughts.

Reaching his destination, he sat down, leaning back against a flat rock and staring at the play of light through the leaves above him. Everything in his life seemed to be going wrong these days… Ichiru's arrival, the messy situation with Kuran… the only constant had been Yuuki… well, until this morning anyway, when she'd walked in on him behaving like a savage. He sighed, letting his eyes drift shut. He hadn't slept last night, and exhaustion was weighing on him. All in all, he was really having a bad day.

A sudden cold shadow falling across his face made his eyes snap open… but it was only Yuuki, probably here to fetch him back to class. It was uncanny how she could usually find him no matter how well he tried to hide.

"Forget it." he told her, "I'm not going."

To his surprise, she sat down next to him.

"Neither am I… at least, not until you tell me what happened earlier."

"What do you want me to say? You saw most of it."'

Her questioning gaze was making him uncomfortable, as if she could see into his soul somehow, into the black void that was his hatred of Ichiru. He couldn't maintain the eye contact, so he looked away.

"He's not worth it you know." Her voice was soft, sympathetic.

"Not worth what?"

"You becoming a murderer. I know that what he did to you – to your family – was unforgivable. But I can't let you kill him, because it would mean that you would sacrifice a piece of your humanity. Whatever you might think, Zero, you are not a killer."

The honest conviction in her words startled him. He didn't quite know what he could say that would convey his gratitude for her faith in him… in the human part of him that still despised blood and death. His voice was gruff, the words insufficient, but it was all he could manage.

"I hope you're right."

She suddenly got to her feet, tugging on his hand.

"Now come on. We can still make it before the next class starts…"

He stood and allowed her to drag him towards the school buildings, but then remembered why he hadn't wanted to go. He hesitated, and she turned to face him when she felt his resistance.

"Don't worry," she told him, "He's not going to class today. I let him off to get his breath back."

She smiled at Zero, willing him to get the joke. Despite himself he snorted, one side of his mouth pulling up into a half-smile.

"Have I ever told you you're something else?"

She laughed, resuming their march towards class.

"All the time!" she assured him.

Perhaps today wasn't going to be so bad after all.

x--x--x

As the sun began to fade from the sky, Kagechi stirred in his makeshift lair, an abandoned shed on the extreme edge of the academy grounds. He realized he would have to feed soon, his hunger was becoming a problem. It was difficult, because it meant he would have to leave the area altogether. He couldn't risk killing in the closest towns, for fear it would give something away to the vampires at the academy, so he would have to take a two-day round trip.

Sighing, he sat up, only to come face-to-face with his employer's trademark smirk.

All that pure vampire blood Ichiru had imbibed from his erstwhile mistress made him as light on his feet as any vampire, and gave him the extra ability to dampen his aura so that he couldn't be easily sensed. A lesser man than Kagechi might have been surprised, but the assassin let nothing show in his expression.

"A little job for you – I think it's time you tried again…" Ichiru said.

"I've told you, it's difficult to get near the pureblood without him realizing that something is off. It took everything I had to make him ignore what his senses were telling him in that clearing. I still have a headache… and your brother has a much stronger will than you think - you have no idea how hard it was to lower his inhibitions enough that he would _want_ to get that close to Kuran…I'm beginning to think you're not paying me nearly enough to justify this expenditure of effort."

Ichiru considered this.

"I admit I may have underestimated our opponents… but I've come to the conclusion that we have been approaching this all wrong. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. So ask yourself - what weakness do both Kuran and Zero share?"

Kagechi didn't answer immediately. He was growing tired of this boy's games. If it hadn't been for the fact that he was necessary to advance Kagechi's own goals, the assassin would have eliminated him long ago. He forced himself to be calm before speaking.

"As I've said - their bond does not make them half as vulnerable as you imagine."

"I was not talking about the bond. Let me put it this way… you can lead a horse to water, but you can't force it to drink. If the horse was thirsty though, it would not need any coercion."

Understanding dawned in Kagechi's eyes.

"Very well. It shall be as you say. I will try that approach, just as soon as I return from my hunting trip."

Ichiru's pale eyes narrowed.

"You can't leave now! Time is of the essence… we cannot allow Zero to talk with the pureblood before we strike, you said yourself he might have noticed you. If they get together and figure it out, everything could be ruined!"

"I have been weakened considerably by that last attempt. Using my power is very draining. I need blood to replenish my strength – otherwise there is a definite chance that I will not be able to accomplish what you ask."

Ichiru cursed. This was not part of the plan… but desperate times called for desperate measures. He knew that now was their best chance, and to give it up would be foolish. Steeling himself, he walked over to where Kagechi lay. Kneeling, he offered his wrist to the assassin.

"Drink."

He didn't need to ask twice.

x--x--x

Things in the moon dorm were not going well. The addition of five surly nobles in the form of Kaname's guard detail was taking its toll already, even though it had only been one day thus far.

Ichijo felt that even his normally amiable personality was being stretched to the limit. When he'd risen that evening and made his way downstairs for a quick snack before class, he'd found three of the five sitting in the lounge playing cards, smoking, and drinking most of the supply of fine wines which were kept for special occasions. Even worse, they were discussing their preferences in women, with specific reference to blood type and flavor. If Kaname came down and heard this, it would take weeks to replace all the windows… Ichijo knew he had to intervene, but he couldn't quite see how.

While he stood at the foot of the stairs pondering how best to begin, he was joined by Kain, Aido and Shiki. They would usually find him in the kitchen at this time, and they seemed surprised to see the vice president standing in the hallway. After listening to the guards' conversation for a while though, Aido spoke.

"We can't just stand here – Ichijo, you should tell them not to talk like that!"

Ichijo shushed him with a wave of his hand, whispering back.

"Keep your voice down! I don't want them to hear…"

Shiki chuckled. "Come on, they aren't that scary!"

Grabbing Ichijo by the arm, Shiki dragged him into the parlor. The others followed, not wanting to miss anything. The guards turned to look at them, and Shiki seized the chance.

"Ah, good morning! I see you're all… comfortable! Anyway, vice-president Ichijo here would like to speak to you regarding the rules…"

Ichijo stared at Shiki, disbelief written across his features. Then his gaze narrowed in warning, letting Shiki know that he would pay for this later. Eventually, he turned back to the guards and spoke.

"Um, yes, quite. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you once again to Cross Academy. As you no doubt know, the vampires here do not partake of any human blood at all. As such, we…_discourage_…speaking of humans as food. I do hope you will understand…"

One of the guards cut in. "And just what _are_ we supposed to drink then? I did hear tell that you were all crazy here, but I never believed it till now!" The rest of them chuckled appreciatively, until the end of the speaker's cigar suddenly flared up, almost setting fire to his moustache. Ichijo glanced at Kain, who kept his expression impassive, although a dark amusement fluttered in his eyes. Aido elbowed his cousin, whispering.

"Good one, Akatsuki!"

Ichijo managed to suppress a grin. It was obvious that he now held that full attention of the men around the table, so he continued, reaching into his pocket to produce a square dispenser full of blood tablets.

"Well, gentlemen, let me show you how things are done here…"

x--x--x

Kaname paced restlessly across the carpet. Sleep had been elusive, and it was not helping his mood at all. Two of the guards were also outside his door, their foreign auras making rest impossible, and he couldn't manufacture a good enough reason to send them away – after all, he was supposed to be in fear for his life.

Glancing out the window, he realized it was just about time for class, so he began getting ready. Before he opened the door, he made sure his dispassionate expression was firmly in place. He would need it as they headed for the class changeover… because Zero would be there, and lately he couldn't seem to trust his composure around that boy.

x--x--x

Kagechi felt incredible. The offer Ichiru made had been completely unexpected, but Kagechi had jumped at the chance to taste him. Even diluted, the trace of pure vampire blood the boy had running through his veins still held power, and the buzzing sensation under Kagechi's skin was testament to that. He hadn't felt this satisfied after a meal in ages. His mind was definitely recharged now, and he couldn't wait to try the surprisingly clever ploy Ichiru had come up with. All he had to do was wait until the vampires went to class… that would be the best time to work on Kuran. The mingled auras of the pureblood's classmates would help to disguise Kagechi's own.

As for Zero… he was much easier to get to. Kagechi had observed him for a while now, and knew his patrol route well. Idly, the assassin stroked across the page of the book in front of him. Its pages were yellowed and well-thumbed. It was the same book he had stolen all those years ago, the one memento from his past he had not destroyed. In a way, it had been the key to his freedom.

Setting the book aside, he made ready to go out. The night class would be in their lecture room by now, and he had work to do.

In the silence of the shed, a shaft of moonlight illuminated the page Kagechi had been reading.

--

_The double-bond is the strongest bond in existence. It opens __a telepathic pathway between the bondmates, and allows them to share each other's thoughts, feelings and powers._

_Very few vampires are willing to share themselves in this way__, which is one reason why the double-bond is so uncommon. _

_It is also important to note that__ due to the power-sharing side effect, it is outlawed for a pureblood vampire to instantiate a double-bond with a lower-ranked vampire. The penalty for breaking this law is execution for both bondmates._

_-- _

* * *

**Please leave a review before you go...**


	10. Dissatisfaction

Tonight's lecture was at least proving to be interesting. A leading vampire biologist had come to discuss the latest advancements in the gene-sequencing field, and their ongoing research into the correlation between a vampire's genetic code and their powers and blood status, as well as what the exact effects were of blood starvation on vampire cells. Several breakthroughs were being made which could eventually enhance the effectiveness of the blood tablets, but it was still in early stages. Even Aido, who rarely found class entertaining enough to pay attention to, was actively involved, asking questions and debating possibilities.

It was times like this when Kaname was especially proud of this group. Pacifism may have seemed like a ludicrous idea to most vampires, but in this room, it was a firm belief, a concept that was achievable. The pureblood smiled faintly as Aido began pointing out flaws in one of the visitor's theories. The researcher seemed affronted at first that his ideas would be questioned by someone so young, but Aido's cool logic could not be thwarted, and the two of them ended up in a fervent discussion about how the errors could be corrected.

Something brushed across Kaname's senses at that moment, and he frowned. He tried to pinpoint the source, but whatever it was seemed to be gone now…only… there it was again. It was almost a slight tug at the bond he shared with Zero, but it didn't feel right, the energy signature was not the hunter's.

'_Nothing to worry about though. It doesn't matter. I'll just ignore it…_ wait - _**what?**__'_

Kaname tried to grasp at the intrusion, wanting to follow it back to its origin, but the foreign presence quickly withdrew. It had been the same influence as in the clearing, he was certain of it.

Someone was playing mind games… and Kaname had every intention of finding out who.

x--x--x

Kagechi cursed. That had not gone well… he had managed to stir up the pureblood's thirst for blood before being discovered, but only slightly. It would have to do for now, the bond would take care of the rest - and Zero would be much easier to manipulate. As he set off to find the sullen guardian, he considered what had just transpired.

He had obviously been overconfident and tried too bold a tactic - hoping that the combination of Kuran's fatigue and the newly formed reciprocal bond would make it much easier to control him. However, even in his weakened state the pureblood was obviously highly skilled at mental techniques, and had very nearly been able to trace the link back to its source.

Strategies would have to be rethought… it was rapidly becoming evident that Kuran was just too powerful for such a straightforward attack.

Kagechi was going to need to use all his talents, and use them wisely. Then again, he had always loved a challenge.

x--x--x

Guardian duty had been uneventful thus far. The guards arranged around the classroom had kept the day class girls away, and the grounds were quiet. Zero had given up on patrolling, and was currently leaning against a tree near his favorite spot by the lake. It was time for the night class to head back to their dorm, and he figured he might as well wait here, well away from them. The class changeover had been awkward enough - even with his back resolutely turned on the pureblood, he had still been able to _feel_ Kuran's gaze - and he kept having an indefinable urge to meet that intense stare. In addition, being near Kaname made his neck throb where he had been bitten, not entirely unlike the way it used to feel when Shizuka was around, although at least that was on the opposite side. It wasn't painful, but it was unsettling. As if he needed some kind of Kuran-radar…

The strangest feeling suddenly washed over him, like there were strings attached to his heart and someone was pulling them.

'_What the hell?' _

He was spared further contemplation by a wave of bloodlust so strong it almost brought him to his knees. One hand went to his throat where the hunter tattoo was glowing like a brand, and the other hand clutched at his chest. It felt like something was clawing at him from inside, and his skin flushed alternately between hot and cold. How was this possible? It hadn't been that long since he'd fed from Kuran… then again, he had given most of that blood back. Still, it was highly unusual for his thirst to take hold so strongly and in such a short time… generally he'd begin to feel the first signs days before it started to hurt this badly…

Raw, animal hunger robbed him of strength, and he collapsed at the foot of the tree. He could only repeat one thought as he raged against the pain.

_Please, don't let her find me like this…_

x--x--x

Kaname dropped two tablets into the glass, watching them gradually turn the contents red. His thirst had been steadily rising all evening, and it worried him. He'd taken a lot of blood from Zero last night, he shouldn't be craving again this soon.

He stared distractedly out of the window as he took a sip of the scarlet liquid, letting his mind wander across the bond. He could sense that Zero was currently out near the lake…probably skipping out on his duties as he often did…

The pureblood's musings were interrupted by a violent pain in his chest. He kept himself from crying out, but doubled over in agony. His jaw began to ache, fangs lengthening in a rush.

Bloodlust? But he had just…

'_Damn it!'_

Kaname gasped softly, unable to check the urge to put his hand to his neck where his bite area was starting to tingle in time with his pulse. The bond… it was Zero. It seemed Kaname was not the only one suffering hunger pangs at the moment.

Sealing off the mental connection as much as was possible, he downed the rest of the blood tablet liquid in one gulp. If anything, it tasted even more bland than usual - something Kaname would not have thought possible - and it did almost nothing to appease his thirst.

He had been afraid this would happen. It was time to talk to Zero, and _that_ was a conversation he'd been hoping to avoid.

A bond was a commitment, a kind of promise. Of course, not all bonds were made voluntarily. A nonconsensual bond was far weaker than one which was created willingly, and also had fewer side effects.

The only problem was, Kaname had _given_ his blood to Zero - and Zero had _offered_ his blood to Kaname in return.

Strictly speaking therefore, they weren't just bonded - they were _mates, _and that presented its own set of complications. A mated pair became reliant on each other. Feeding from someone else would sustain them for a short time in an emergency, for example if they were injured, but unless they took blood from their mate regularly, the frequency and intensity of their cravings would increase sharply, their body almost shutting down from starvation no matter how often they fed.

Kaname reluctantly admitted, if only to himself, that he might have underestimated the strength of that particular side effect. He had been so sure that the tablets would still suffice for him, and it irked him that the substance he'd spent so much time and effort in developing would let him down now, when he could least afford it.

He had known since the idea first took shape in his mind that it would be a risk to offer Zero his blood, but he had never in a million years thought Zero would return the favor. Of course, it could be construed as his own fault for going through with it and biting Zero… although there had been extenuating circumstances - he had miscalculated the intensity of his hunger at the time, and how _tempting _it would be to accept Zero's offer, if only to ruffle the hunter's composure.

He _had_ been prepared for Zero needing more of his blood though, and was willing to pay that price to keep the ex-human sane and active as Yuuki's shield - a kind of tithe… but now, in a startlingly ironic twist of fate, _he_ was being forced to rely on _Zero_ for survival, and that was something he could not accept.

Kaname Kuran had never _needed_ anybody… and he wasn't about to start now. He was surely strong enough to resist his own urges until he could find some other way.

The bond gave another little twinge, reminding him that although he may be strong enough to fight the effects, Zero wasn't. He headed for the window and leapt out, landing silently and gracefully before hurrying to find the silver-haired guardian.

x--x--x

It felt like hours later, although it was probably only minutes. Zero managed to stand weakly. The thirst still gnawed at him, but the pain was less severe. He placed his hand on the tree trunk to steady himself, and realized he was shivering, the cool air chilling his skin where it was drenched in sweat. He wished he could go back to his room and get changed, but of course, Ichiru might be there.

Taking another look at his current state decided him.

It was a chance he would have to take.

x--x--x

Yuuki strolled unhurriedly through the academy. Duty was technically over for the night, everyone having returned to their dorms. She was just doing one last sweep to ensure the grounds were clear, then she was definitely going to bed.

Halfway across campus, she spotted Zero heading for the boy's dorm. Wanting to ask how his patrol went, and to say goodnight, she called after him, but he ignored her. Slightly annoyed, she ran to catch up with him; however, the sharp words she had planned to unleash were immediately quelled when she got close enough to see him properly. He was very pale, walking with difficulty. His breathing was ragged and he seemed to be in pain, his jacket undone and his shirt sticking to his body.

She'd seen the symptoms enough times to know what he needed. Taking hold of his arm, she steered him towards an empty classroom. It was a mark of how desperate he was that he offered no resistance or comment. Once they were inside, she put her arms around him and drew him close, exposing her neck, waiting for his instincts to take over.

Zero hated this. It seemed that he always ended up in the same situation, a helpless prisoner of his own nature. As always, Yuuki held him fearlessly, and her casual acceptance of his shameful need never failed to amaze him.

How badly he wanted to stay in her embrace, to hold her in return, as a man would hold a woman, not a monster its prey. How fervently he wished that he could concentrate on the heat of her body against his rather than the steady beat of her pulse… wished he could inhale her scent without it provoking his thirst - but he knew those were vain hopes. Regardless of how many times he tried to fight it, the beast within always won. Conceding defeat yet again, he dipped his head to her throat, biting down gently, almost apologetically, surrendering once more to this ultimate sin.

The sweet ambrosia that was her blood soon flooded his mouth, swamping his senses with delight. He swallowed eagerly, drawing more of her precious life… until vaguely, he began to realize that something was wrong. Although Yuuki's blood was as delicious as always, it wasn't helping his thirst much. The aching void within still demanded sustenance, and for some reason, Yuuki's blood didn't quite seem to be enough.

Horrified, Zero stopped drinking immediately. Panicked thoughts chased through his mind -

_Was this level E? When your thirst knew no limits?_

- No… Zero knew that was not the case. Quite aside from Kuran's reassurances, Zero realized that if he had fallen to level E, he would have killed Yuuki rather than stopping.

'_Then what's wrong with me?' _

"Zero?" Yuuki's voice was tentative. She'd felt him tense up as soon as he'd stopped, much sooner than usual too, and she was worried about him.

"I… I can't do this anymore... I'm sorry Yuuki."

He pulled away from the circle of her arms, threw open the door and disappeared into the night. This time, she didn't follow.

x--x--x

Zero ran. He had no real destination in mind, he just needed to get away.

Away from the beast within, away from Yuuki's endearing but foolish trust.

Trees whipped past in a blur as he increased his speed, but he knew he couldn't keep going much longer. His breaths were coming in sharp pants and his chest was aching with the combination of fatigue and unslaked blood thirst. He stripped off his school jacket, throwing it aside, not caring if he ever found it again.

His words seemed to run after him, taunting every step…

_I can't do this anymore._It was no longer enough.

_I'm sorry Yuuki. _He was always sorry.

When his legs refused to carry him further, he finally slowed to a stop, sinking to his knees and cradling his head in his hands.

Why? Why did he always have to hurt others to help himself?

He clawed at his chest, as if hoping to find and excise the bestial side of his soul, ripping both shirt and skin. The scent of his own blood served to enrage his vampire nature further, and he redoubled his efforts. Only when his bloodied hands were shaking too badly to continue did he cease his frantic movements, surrendering to exhaustion. Darkness threatened to take him, and he welcomed its chill embrace.

"Kiriyu?"

_No… not now._

"Kiriyu."

_Don't, please…_

"Zero!"

His eyes fluttered open reluctantly, hoping against hope he had been dreaming. No such luck. Kaname was indeed bending over him, one hand on Zero's shoulder, although he removed it as soon as he saw Zero was awake.

"What do you want?" Zero asked testily. He had meant it to come out with more venom, but he was too weak currently to manage it.

"We have to talk."

All Zero's anger rose to the surface, compounding his thirst, his anger at himself, at his situation, at the way Kuran had treated Yuuki like she was nothing after she had almost been hurt - and now suddenly the arrogant bastard was here, wanting to _talk_?

"I have nothing to say to you - so leave me alone!"

Zero's attempts to get to his feet were thwarted when Kaname simply knocked his legs out from under him, tumbling Zero back to the ground and enraging him further. He'd had enough. He was starving, he was furious, and Kuran was so close… he was just about ready to tear into any part of the pureblood he could reach.

Kaname could see Zero was likely to pounce at any moment, and knew he had to find a way to get his attention, so he allowed a small note of command to creep into his voice.

"Zero, listen to me!"

The effect was immediate. Predatory rage was replaced by confusion as the hunter found himself compelled to listen and stared at Kaname mistrustfully.

"Fine. Talk."

"You have taken from Yuuki again. I can smell her on you."

_Underneath__ the maddening scent of Zero's own blood which was spilling so seductively over the marble contours of his chest..._ Kaname felt his fangs extend slightly at the proximity of his bondmate's blood, his fingers itching to turn into claws as his darker nature threatened to take over.

_He wanted to r__ip… devour…possess…__**no!**__'_

Kaname may have had legendary self-restraint, but he still found it necessary to take a second and calm his clamoring instincts before he could speak again.

"Yet you're still hungry." A statement of fact, no need for it to be a question. Zero's eyes were testament enough, glowing a deep silver-red, like gore-spattered diamonds.

A growl, which Kaname took as assent.

"It's because we are bonded now. You have taken my blood, and I yours. Both of us gave it freely, however ambiguous we may have felt about that decision afterwards. How it happened no longer matters. What does matter, Kiriyu, is that no other blood can completely slake your thirst but mine."

No need to tell him yet that this particular knife cut both ways. Hopefully Zero would think it was related to his weaker status as an ex-human.

Zero's voice was cold and bitter. "So you've come here to gloat?"

"You're wasting time, pretending not to know what this is about."

Kaname took off his jacket, hanging it carefully over a low branch before proceeding to unbutton his shirt.

Zero watched every movement, his gaze so intense Kaname felt like he was caught in a spotlight. The shirt joined the jacket, and Kaname moved to kneel next to Zero, fixing the hunter with an impassive stare.

"Drink. We both know you need it, and I won't have you running around like a half-starved madman, especially not while the council's guards are here."

Kaname kept his tone annoyed, using it to hide the racing of his heart, this instinctive reaction to his mate's nearness impossible to suppress. He wished Zero would hurry up and get it over with, before Kaname's own savage side could slip its leash.

Something was happening to Zero. He felt like his rational mind had become oddly detached from the situation, his human side pushed into a corner by the beast within. Seeing Kaname like this, bare-chested and offering himself, however reluctantly, called to Zero's vampiric instincts… made him want to slowly savor the impending victory over his prey. Without warning, he pounced, taking Kaname by surprise and trapping him on the ground.

Kaname hissed, the rough treatment once more calling his natural impulses to the fore. His fangs grew out completely, his other teeth becoming sharper as well, hidden claws unsheathing themselves. He closed his eyes, knowing streaks of crimson fire were starting to appear in them.

_Dear God…he doesn't know what he's doing to me. Focus. I need to… _

Thought was cut off by sensation as Zero ran his tongue roughly up Kaname's neck once before choosing a spot and biting down hard, sinking his fangs as deeply as possible, wanting to assert dominance over his victim.

Kaname lost the battle to keep still, his whole body trying to arch off the ground in response to the bite, claws digging into the soil below to repress the urge to rake them cruelly down the hunter's back.

Zero began to drink, drawing in as much blood as possible with each pull on Kaname's neck, delighting in the way the pureblood's muscles corded under his relentless mouth. _This_ was power, _this_ was control, and Zero was relishing every second of it, the rush of blood down his throat, the rise and fall of the other vampire's chest beneath his own as the pureblood drew sharp, shallow breaths, those same breaths warm against his skin as Kaname released them in ragged little pants near Zero's ear… it was a plethora of sensations, each one distinct, yet part of the whole, combining in a manner that was beginning to make Zero hunger in a completely different way; bringing back a rush of vivid memories -

_A__nother time, also on the forest floor, the two of them alone, Zero at the bottom this time, writhing in pleasure, running his hands over Kaname's well-muscled back as the pureblood repaid him in kind, eagerly exploring Zero's neck with his tongue…_

Mustering his willpower, Zero removed his teeth from Kaname's throat, slowly lifting his head.

The pureblood seemed to be in some kind of pain, eyes screwed tightly shut, fingers gripping the earth as if it were a lifeline and small tremors running through his frame. Zero sat up fully, but quickly moved when he realized he had been straddling Kaname is a rather compromising way. His cheeks flushed slightly, and he was profoundly grateful that Kuran seemed to be too distracted to notice.

Kaname slowly opened his eyes, knowing there was no way to hide that they were the vibrant scarlet of full-fledged hunger. It had taken everything he had to ignore the riot of feelings rushing through his body while Zero fed, his head spinning as his own desperate need for Zero's blood increased with every passing second. He told himself it was temporary, he told himself he could resist, but deep down he knew those were dangerous lies. In point of fact, if he didn't get away from here as soon as possible, he knew exactly how things were bound to end.

Pushing himself up, he got to his feet, using his fingers to comb bits of leaves from his hair while he walked over to the tree branch to retrieve his clothing, all the while uncomfortably aware of Kiriyu's gaze.

Zero watched as Kaname pulled on his black shirt, noticing that the pureblood's fingers were still trembling. Combined with the glowing eyes and the glint of sharp teeth he could see between Kuran's parted lips, the hunter could guess what was wrong. He'd obviously drained the pureblood to the point where his thirst was beginning to bother him. Part of Zero felt a little guilty at that… but another, larger part couldn't resist pointing out a chink in the formidable Kaname Kuran's supposedly impenetrable armor.

"Hey, Kuran…"

The object of his taunt glanced at him. Zero smirked.

"Looks like you could use a meal in a glass."

Kaname's composure snapped. A cold wind began whipping through the trees, leaves rustling angrily like buzzing hornets as the pureblood's aura turned malevolent. He knew Zero wasn't aware of the entire situation, but the mocking tone and self-satisfied air of the hunter's jibe was too much. _How dare he?_

Zero's eyes widened at the sudden display, worry creeping into his expression. This was unexpected… and a little scary. The air temperature plummeted further, bits of debris rising from the forest floor as the wind picked up speed.

"I'm sorry! Please, calm down Kur…Kaname."

The use of his given name seemed to get through to the irate pureblood, and the wind ceased, the forest suddenly warm and quiet as it had been before.

Kaname took a steadying breath, settling his frayed nerves.

"I apologize for that, Kiriyu. I lost my temper…"

"Why?" Zero didn't know what possessed him to ask, it wasn't like he _cared_, but for some reason he really found himself curious as to Kuran's reaction. After all, it wasn't like Zero had suggested he go eat somebody…

_Damn._ Kaname sighed. He was tired. So tired of keeping secrets and telling lies when the real damage was already done… he ran a hand through his hair, betraying his distress. Perhaps it was time to lay all the cards on the table. Meeting Zero's stare, but keeping his voice low, as if hoping it would reduce the weight of his confession, Kaname spoke.

"As I said - we're bonded now, so the tablets…the tablets don't work for me anymore."


	11. Fighting Fate

A moment of shocked quiet followed Kaname's revelation, Zero being unable to figure out what he should say.

'_Are you sure?'_ Of course he was, he wouldn't have said so otherwise…

'_So what?'_ Too callous in light of what the pureblood had just done for him…

He settled for the neutral ground and said nothing. The silence stretched on, long and uncomfortable, until Kaname decided to break it.

"Does that scare you Kiriyu?"

Zero met Kaname's stare, wanting to give a scathing retort, but something in the depths of the pureblood's crimson eyes made him hesitate. Kuran was fully exposing a weakness to him, which was uncharacteristic to say the least, and looking at the way the other vampire was standing - with his arms crossed defensively in front of him as if expecting to be attacked immediately for revealing his vulnerability - made Zero feel strangely guilty.

"I…I had no idea. I guess I shouldn't have, well, you know… I… I made it worse for you." The apology was awkward, but Zero felt compelled to give it anyway.

Kaname shrugged dismissively. "I allowed it, so it wasn't your fault. Listen, Zero… I know neither of us meant for this to happen, but now that it has, we need to be sensible about it."

Zero gave a curt nod. "I'm listening."

"What do you know about blood bonds?"

x--x--x

Kagechi smiled. This was perfect… Kuran was starving, his need for Zero's blood making him weak, and Zero was still reeling from the after-effects of slaking his own thirst with such potent blood. To top it off, they were both currently engrossed in their conversation, focused on each other rather than their surroundings.

Now was the moment - the time for the coup-de-grace had finally arrived.

He reached out with his mind, seizing the bright thread connecting his victims… still smirking, he began to _pull_.

x--x--x

Zero listened as Kaname explained, and the further the explanation got, the more despondent Zero became. He had been such a fool to offer his blood to Kaname without being aware of the consequences… and now, thanks to his ignorance, he was inextricably bound to someone he had once sworn to hate until the end of his existence.

Thanks to that same ignorance, he wasn't entirely sure anymore that he even _could_ hate Kaname - the bond was causing him to have strange sentiments towards the pureblood, feelings he would not have thought possible. The soul-deep need to _care for_, _cherish_ and _protect_. It was disturbing, but nevertheless, the compulsion was strong. Strong enough that even now, Zero felt Kaname's hunger and ached to appease it. The bond seemed to be tugging at him, making it difficult to concentrate, as if his primal side was trying to goad him into action.

Kaname kept his explanation fairly simple, but made sure to cover everything of importance, especially the fact that their bond was mutual… although he almost winced visibly at having to use the term "mates" out loud. He paused, realizing that Zero didn't seem to be listening anymore. The hunter was gazing intently at him, but there was no acknowledgement in his eyes.

"Zero?"

Zero couldn't take it anymore. The bond was screaming at him, it refused to be ignored. He was going to feed Kaname, and he was going to do it now. Giving himself to his instincts, Zero got down on his knees, tilting his head to expose his jugular.

A pang ran through Kaname at the sight. Tempting though it may be, it looked too much as if Zero was admitting defeat, and Kaname refused to take that kind of advantage.

"Get up, Kiriyu..."

The hunter ignored his request, slipping a hand up to his throat, breaking skin with his nails, vivid crimson trails joining the faded ones from earlier. Zero knew he was being reckless, but his conscious mind had taken a backseat yet again, the only thing driving him now the undeniable urge to nourish his mate. He watched as Kaname's whole body went rigid at the scent of fresh blood, scarlet eyes homing in on the bleeding scratches.

"Zero, don't…" Kaname's voice was almost pleading, he could feel his hunger escaping his control, and knew it would not be possible to rein it in much longer.

Zero got to his feet, and started taking slow, deliberate steps toward the pureblood. Kaname could have moved back, but the sight of Zero headed straight for him, covered in blood, shirt hanging in tatters, exposing tantalizing glimpses of blood-streaked skin, was so compelling he couldn't bring himself to walk away.

Reaching out, Zero grabbed Kaname by the shoulders, pulling him close, burying the pureblood's face in his neck.

"No…Zero - I…"

"Take my blood Kaname - now."

Kaname growled. There was an appealingly demanding note in Zero's voice that he found almost impossible to resist, and it would be so easy to comply… drink his bondmate's rich, sweet blood, and make the pain stop…

He rested his mouth on Zero's pulse, stroking over the half-healed cuts with his tongue, eliciting shivers of delight from his partner. Had Zero's blood been this sweet before? The taste was driving Kaname to a state of near-frenzy, and he knew he had lost the fight. Fully extended fangs replaced his tongue; wickedly sharp points pressing inexorably downwards, breaking skin… blood filled his mouth, thrillingly hot and delicious as sin. His arms wrapped around Zero, trapping him even though the boy was not trying to get away, needing more contact. He felt Zero's hands slip across his waist, under the half-buttoned shirt.

_No… no, no, no… _but it felt so good, such a basic, carnal rush… melting his restraint… Y_es, more Zero, touch me… _Kaname's thoughts seeped through the link as emotions - desire… want… elemental need.

Zero responded by running his hands smoothly up Kaname's muscular back before applying slight pressure with his nails, raking them down the sweat-slicked skin on either side of the pureblood's spine, a move which was rewarded by Kaname's whole frame snapping taut, teeth sinking deeper into Zero's throat.

x--x--x

It was almost becoming too easy.

Kagechi had manipulated many bonded vampires, but somehow the link between these two right now was different. It responded to his slightest whims, amplifying his suggestive abilities. It was most likely due to the fact that Zero was dangerously close to awakening Kaname's most bestial side, and the hunter's own inhuman nature was rising to meet it. It was the perfect conjunction of circumstances, and he intended to make full use of it.

Focussing his will once more, he began planting suggestions, making Kuran long for the ex-human's bite, while persuading Zero to begin nuzzling the pureblood's neck with his mouth, nipping and sucking, but not yet biting. For the double-bond to form, Kuran had to first give verbal permission for Zero to take his blood.

He was so wrapped up in his task that he failed to notice the approaching figure until Ichiru's sibilant whisper sounded right next to him.

"Excellent! We are so close…"

Kagechi scowled at his employer, and Ichiru smirked before inclining his head in an 'as-you-were' gesture.

The assassin complied, returning to his work.

x--x--x

Zero was lost. Kaname was drinking slowly, drawing his blood in languid gulps as if savouring every taste. There was something sensual about it, a feeling which should have repulsed Zero, but it felt so… right at the same time. As if flicking on a switch, he became aware that the long, pale neck of the pureblood was so deliciously exposed right now… he could see the muscles contracting as he swallowed Zero's blood, and the sight was incredibly stimulating… following a sudden impulse, Zero placed his lips on Kaname's throat, revelling in the feeling of the muscles moving under his mouth. He licked, sucked and nibbled gently at the bare skin, hoping the sensation would be as intense for Kaname as it was for him.

Small tremors of sheer delight ran through Kaname at the disturbingly skilled ministrations of Zero's tongue. The warm, velvet rasp was replaced ever so often with the sharp points of ivory fangs dragging seductively over his vein, making him long to feel those same points sink deeply into his flesh…

He knew that was a dangerous path for his thoughts to take. He was aware that it was a stringent, inviolable taboo to share blood simultaneously, especially for a pureblood, although the reason why seemed to escape him at the moment as another wave of desire seized his mind.

'_Surely nothing bad would come of it… and it would feel so good…No! I must not let it happen, I know there is a reason it's forbidden… but I want it so damn much!'_

His thoughts kept running in circles, desire conflicting with sense, until he thought he would go mad if he did not give in to his yearning. Every movement of Zero's lips, tongue and - _oh… yes _- teeth… served only to heighten his need.

He tried to persuade Zero to bite him, moaning in encouragement every time the hunter's fangs touched him, but Zero didn't seem to be getting the message. Lifting his head slightly from Zero's throat, he voiced his craving, all the while driven to madness by the silken drag of Zero's tongue, his voice rough with pent-up desire.

"Zero, please…stop teasing already…and bite me."

"Only if you bite me again... harder this time." Zero felt as if someone else was speaking through him. He couldn't believe he'd just said something like that, then again, tonight seemed to be filled with firsts…

They both dropped their heads to each other's throats, not hesitating before sinking their fangs deep. What felt like a jolt of pure electricity ran through them both as blood filled their mouths. They were no longer separate entities, but connected in an all-consuming circuit of shared bliss. Thoughts, feelings, memories, experiences - all were laid bare to one another. The bond seemed to sing, its threads lighting up with power, becoming stronger with each passing second. Something kept nagging at the back of Kaname's mind, urging him to stop, stop _now!_ - but he ignored it, too thoroughly caught up in the pleasurable sensations radiating through his very soul, oblivious to the danger.

A minute passed, and suddenly Kaname felt strange. There was too much power in his veins, too much life. His head was spinning, a buzzing ache manifesting itself. He pulled back from Zero's throat, breaking the connection, he felt Zero do the same… but he could still somehow feel the hunter _inside_ of him. He opened his eyes, only to find his vision blurred oddly, as if he was looking in different directions at once.

His body felt unresponsive, his legs refusing to hold him. His knees gave out, or perhaps Zero's did, and they sank to the forest floor together. The hunter was breathing raggedly, making small pained noises before finding his voice.

"Ka…Kaname - something's wrong… I feel sick…"

Not wanting to admit he felt the same way, Kaname merely tried to make his voice as soothing as possible while avoiding the issue.

"Shhh, everything will be fine. Just lie down."

Zero found himself being pulled towards the ground, the pureblood's arms still wrapped around him. He felt like crap, his head was aching and he seemed to be semi-paralysed. He was also oddly disoriented, as if his mind was in two places. He closed his eyes, willing his head to stop spinning.

_He was so tired…_

x--x--x

Ichiru patted Kagechi on the shoulder, unable to resist upsetting the assassin.

"Good boy. Now, go fetch!"

Kagechi glared at him, but Ichiru only smiled. "Come on…you know what I mean."

He handed the assassin a set of chains and a lock.

"Remember - you're a visiting noble who came to see the academy in hopes of sending your son here. You were distracted by a noise and went to see what it was, when you came upon none other than the illustrious Kaname Kuran sealing a forbidden double-bond with a mere ex-human. Of course, you felt it was your duty to expose this heinous act, so you took advantage of their disorientation to apprehend them. The cowardly ex-human ran as soon as he saw you coming, but the pureblood was still suffering the after-effects of the bond, allowing you to take him into custody without much of a fight. And the rest, as they say, is history."

Kagechi nodded, his eyes gleaming.

Silently, they left the cover of the trees, moving swiftly to where their victims lay entangled on the leaf-strewn ground. Kagechi moved to immobilise Kuran, while Ichiru went to do the same to his brother.

He did so _love_ when a plan came together.

x--x--x

Kaname woke to the feeling of someone trying to chain his hands behind his back. Eyes snapping open, he assessed the situation while berating himself for losing consciousness in such a vulnerable position… he bucked suddenly, hoping to surprise his attacker. Someone swore viciously, attempting to catch hold of the chain half-binding Kaname's wrists. Using their distraction to good advantage, he managed to rise to a sitting position, all the while trying to shuck off the chains. Another voice, this time from a short distance away.

"Use your power you fool! If he gets loose we're both dead!"

Swivelling around towards the speaker, Kaname was shocked for a second to find himself meeting Zero's amethyst gaze as he stood over a crumpled body… but no, the bond told him Zero was the one on the ground, and now that he looked closer, he saw that there were subtle differences in the standing figure. There was a crueller set to his mouth, and his hair was longer.

_Ichiru? But why…_

The sudden realization dawned on him with an icy chill as memory flooded back in a rush, the repercussions of what he and Zero had just done hitting him full force, mind racing as he began making the connections he should have spotted much, much earlier. How could he not have seen it before? Had he been _that_ distracted?

_And now it was too late._

They had been caught in a trap - one so cunningly concealed they had sprung it without a second thought. That influence in the clearing, urging him to consummate the bond, the same influence that night in class, his sane mind constantly being overridden by his instincts… it wasn't mere coincidence.

A game had been played at Cross Academy - one with both himself and Zero used as pieces. Kaname had failed to expose the players in time, and the next move was already _checkmate_.

There was only one thing left to do.

Fight.

x--x--x

Kagechi grabbed at the bond just in time. He could see the pureblood was tensing to spring, murder in his eyes. The second he seized the incandescent thread though, Kuran went limp, his overtaxed mind and body surrendering easily to the unmitigated control Kagechi had over the double-bond.

_Oh, the power…_

He had never seen a double-bond before, let alone had the chance to manipulate one. Even the once-bright strands of a strong reciprocal bond paled in comparison to the burning river of light that was the double-bond's thread. Lost as he was in his contemplation, he almost failed to notice that Kuran was fighting the compulsion. The pureblood was halfway free of his mental grip already before Kagechi noticed something amiss and reasserted his control. He would have to be more careful - Kuran was a powerful adversary.

Forcing him to remain docile, Kagechi finished chaining Kuran's hands, making sure they were secure. He looked over at Ichiru, who had finished trussing up his twin. Picking the other silver-haired figure up as if he weighed nothing, he turned to Kagechi, smirk already in place.

"Get Kuran to the guards at the moon dorm, and don't forget to remove the chains once you get there - I hardly think a noble would be running around with something like that in his back pocket. I trust you will be able to control him without them for that short while..."

Ichiru chuckled, a nerve-gratingly self-satisfied sound.

"You'll get the rest of your payment once the Council executes him. It's been a pleasure doing business with you, although you need to work on your professional attitude."

Kagechi used the chain binding Kuran to hoist him to his feet. He had no intention of standing here trading banter with this insolent pup, so he made no reply, instead turning towards the academy buildings, using his power to make the pureblood walk in front of him.

He had to admit though, as he watched Kuran put one dazed foot in front of the other, this was going to be the most _rewarding_ job he'd ever done.

x--x--x

When Zero's eyes opened he expected to see trees, but found that he was staring at a wall. Granted, it _was_ a sickly sort of green colour, but it had no resemblance to leaves.

_Okay…not quite what I imagined…_

He remembered blacking out in the forest after he and Kaname had… had… what _had_ they done exactly? All he was getting was flashes of pleasure, and the memory of blood enveloping his senses. He became aware that he was acutely uncomfortable. His hands were stretched painfully over his head, and something sharp-edged was digging into his wrists. He was half-sagging, his knees almost able to touch the floor, but not quite, meaning he was hanging painfully from his arms. He tried to move his feet forward so that he could stand, only to realize that his ankles were chained to the floor, preventing him from doing exactly that. A low chuckle from the shadowed corner drew his attention, and he turned his head to see Ichiru emerging from the darkness.

"Ah, finally you're awake…"

Zero struggled against his bonds, but only managed to exhaust his already straining muscles.

"Damn it, Ichiru, I don't know what the hell you think you're playing at… but you'd better hope I never get free…"

"I wouldn't waste your energy, brother. Those restraints are hunter forged, and you know as well as I do - that makes them unbreakable."

Cold dread began to fill Zero's heart, sinking towards his stomach. He could feel the faint hum of hunter magic imbuing the metal, proving Ichiru's statement. There was no way he would be able to get out of them, and there was no telling what sick, twisted games his twin wanted to play. Panic nudged at the edges of Zero's mind, but he knew he could not afford to give in to despair.

_There had to be a way out of this. There just had to be!_

"Whatever can you be thinking about so intently Zero? I trust you're not fostering any hopes of your precious pureblood cohort rescuing you. In point of fact, he is going to be your downfall…"

Zero's eyes narrowed. "Whatever. You're bluffing, just trying to annoy me." Nevertheless, he couldn't stop himself from reaching for the bond, a natural instinct, trying to reassure himself that Kaname was okay. What he found was not promising… there was almost nothing coming from Kaname's end of their link, it was as if it had been subdued somehow.

_It doesn't mean anything… he's a pureblood, he probably found some way to shut himself off…_

"Oh? You think I'm bluffing? Don't you realize what you did last night? When both of you took each other's blood at the same time?"

Like a door in his mind being flung open, the memories returned. He recalled the mutual feeding… the way it felt like he _knew_ Kaname, like they were one soul in two bodies. He also remembered feeling sick, and the last words Kaname had said to him before he slipped out of consciousness…

'_Shhh, everything will be fine…' _

"I see you're recalling last night's events… but of course, you fail to realize the importance. Let me help you. The two of you now have what is known as a double-bond. Something which is forbidden to exist between a pureblood and a vampire of lower rank…"

"So what? I'm supposed to be afraid or something?"

Ichiru's smirk grew wider.

"Yes. Because it's not just forbidden, brother - it's outlawed. And your _companion_ got caught. So _unfortunate_ - there was a witness and everything. As we speak, he's being trussed up in some Council dungeon, awaiting trial. But that's just a formality… the law is clear, and there can only be one possible outcome. Do you know the sentence for a pureblood convicted of this crime?"

Zero attempted a shrug, but it was made difficult by the position he was in.

"Death, Zero. The Council will execute him. They would have done the same to you, but then it would have ruined my fun…"

Zero laughed, doing his best to make it sound convincing although fear was steadily creeping into his mind.

"You expect me to care? If anything, you'll have done me a favour by killing Kuran."

"Ah, my poor, uneducated brother. So naïve. Don't you know what happens to a double-bonded vampire when their bondmate dies? I'll tell you. They go insane… then eventually they waste away and die - slowly and painfully. I wonder how long you'll survive? Five months? Perhaps twelve? No matter - I have all the time in the world."

Zero's stomach knotted in dread. If what Ichiru said about Kaname was true, then the pureblood only had days to live… and it was all Zero's fault. The realization gave him a renewed sense of purpose. After all, he had long since given up fearing his own death, whatever form it may take… but Kaname had saved his sanity, and his life… more than once.

Zero was going to repay that debt even if it killed him.


	12. Shadowed Intentions

This was hell.

Kaname was a prisoner in his own mind, and he could think of no more cruel torment. Every time he tried to evade the mental grip of his captor, the other vampire would notice and take steps to subdue him once more.

He could only watch helplessly as his body moved of its own volition, one shuffling step at a time, towards the school buildings and certain death at the hands of the Council.

He would have to bide his time. He could tell that maintaining this level of control was taxing the noble's strength, and eventually he would be weak enough for Kaname to overpower.

Even though he was a pureblood, Kaname's pacifist ideology meant he was not given to acts of senseless violence… but he vowed that the second he broke free, he was going to tear his captor to shreds, and enjoy every minute of it… but until that happy moment, he would have to wait, and watch.

To occupy himself and appease his growing concern, Kaname tried reaching for Zero through the bond… but that just made the black-clad noble lash out at him with some kind of mental attack. Ignoring the pain, Kaname mused on the meaning of the sudden outburst instead. His use of the bond should have been undetectable, even to the foreign presence in his mind… unless… it was the bond _itself_ which was making him vulnerable. So, a vampire who had the power to mentally manipulate bonds. How curious. Perhaps it was time to find out more about his captor. Brushing against the intruder, he sent a directed thought at him.

'You're getting tired. And when your power fails…'

Annoyance and slight surprise. A mind-voice, harsh and deadly.

'This will get you nowhere.'

Kaname noticed they had taken a turn that led away from the academy buildings altogether, and decided to find out more.

'I see you cannot even carry out the simplest of tasks correctly. You're going the wrong way.'

'I am well aware of where I'm going, _slave_. Be silent or I will inflict more pain than you can imagine.'

Had Kaname been in control of his body, he would have smiled. This was a game he knew how to play - after all, political manoeuvring and intrigue were his bread and butter. When your opponent began to use idle insults and threats, it was a sure sign of vulnerability.

Yes, this _was_ hell… but perhaps there was a means to beat the devil.

x--x--x

It was dark.

There was no way of knowing the time of day as there were no windows and Ichiru had left some time ago, taking the single lamp with him. Zero couldn't even tell what kind of building he was in, but there was the vague impression that it was underground somehow. He seized the chains keeping him suspended, trying to pull himself up a little to ease the raw pain in his wrists where the manacles bit into him, but the chains on his ankles seriously hampered his attempt. A shiver ran through his frame. He was cold, thirsty, starving for food - although thankfully not yet for blood - and every inch of his body ached. He could have borne all of that and more if he could only find a way out of this cell.

Approaching footsteps and a brightening in the doorway heralded Ichiru's return. He set the lamp down on the floor, and it cast its weak, sickly light over the room. With the typical cruel smile, Ichiru greeted him.

"How are you holding up Zero?"

Zero did not deign to reply, so Ichiru sat down in his usual spot, a crate in the corner. Removing the samurai sword he carried from its sheath at his hip, he proceeded to toy idly with it.

Zero assumed it was an intimidation tactic, although aside from shackling him, Ichiru hadn't hurt him in any way. Nevertheless, Zero eyed the blade warily, unsure.

Ichiru noticed this.

"You're thinking I'm going to torture you. I wish you wouldn't have such disparaging thoughts Zero. Yes, I want you dead, but to cut you up first… that would be sick and twisted."

Zero glared at him. His voice was ragged from thirst and disuse, but the sarcasm in his tone was clear.

"Right - because you chaining me up here and waiting for me to go insane is in no way sick or twisted."

Ichiru's smirk faltered slightly and he dropped his gaze to the floor. For a second, Zero saw the small, frail boy that Ichiru had once been. When his twin spoke, it was soft, almost wistful.

"Sometimes I wish… it didn't have to end like this, all I ever tried to do was get you to love me as a brother, not pity me as a weakling."

Despite his current situation, Zero felt a small twinge of sadness. He couldn't help but reply.

"I never pitied you Ichiru - you were the one person I could be myself around. The only one who saw me as a human, not a hunter. But the day you betrayed us…"

Venom crept into Zero's voice as he recalled the anguish Ichiru had caused him.

"… the day you sold us out to that _bitch…_"

Faster than even Zero's vampiric eyes could track, Ichiru was in front of him, the sword pressed so hard to Zero's throat that it was already drawing blood. His twin's eyes flashed dangerously, and his voice was cold and dark as arctic night.

"Don't you _ever_ speak of Shizuka-sama that way! The next time such an insult crosses your lips I _will_ cut out your tongue, _brother_."

It was difficult to speak with the icy metal pressing into his windpipe, but he managed it.

"Ah. So that's why you're doing this…"

Ichiru removed the blade, flicking it once to remove any stray blood droplets before sheathing it. The motion stirred the air, and even though it was only his own blood and the beast within wasn't really hungry, the salt-rust tang pierced his senses immediately. He shut his eyes as his chest constricted, trying to block out the tantalising scent as Ichiru spoke.

"My reasons are not your concern… but yes. I will use your death to pay tribute to her memory. You killed her as if she was a mere beast, when you knew nothing about her! I can only hope that you suffer even one tenth of the pain I did on that day..."

He broke off suddenly, as if realizing he'd said too much. Zero's mind was reeling. It all seemed to make sense now.

"You…you _loved_ her didn't you? You were in love with Shizuka!"

"_Don't_ say her name - you have _no right_! All you've ever done is hurt me Zero. It's time I returned the favour!"

He had meant his voice to be cruel and calculating, but it came out almost petulant. Furious with himself, Ichiru snatched up the lamp and left the room.

It would not do for his prisoner to see him cry.

x--x--x

Kagechi had been surprised, to say the least, that his captive had still been able to project thoughts at him despite his firm grip on the bond. It was worrying, because it meant that some part of the pureblood was not wholly under his control - and that was a risk, especially since the constant use of his power was fast draining his strength.

He'd been aware that this part of his plan would be the most hazardous, but if he succeeded, it would be well worth the extra effort.

As Kuran had so sardonically pointed out, he wasn't going towards the Moon Dorm. Handing the pureblood over to the authorities had never been his intention, despite what his employer believed.

When he had been offered the job, Kagechi had immediately spotted a loophole - all Ichiru wanted was for Kuran to die after creating the double-bond so he could exact his revenge on his brother. He had never made the exact circumstances of the pureblood's death part of the contract, which was what Kagechi was taking advantage of.

Instead of turning him in, he would take him to a secure location, where he would wait the requisite number of days after which he could safely kill Kuran and drink his potent blood.

Zero would still go mad, Ichiru would still think the pureblood had been executed by the Council, and Kagechi would not only get the power he had always longed for, but the remainder of his payment from Ichiru as well.

It was, as they said in these times, a win-win situation.

If, of course, he could keep hold of Kuran long enough to get him to the car waiting outside the grounds.

x--x--x

His captor was weakening rapidly, and Kaname's darker side was already eagerly anticipating the prospect of violence.

They were nearly at the Academy's back gates, which was handy because it was secluded. No witnesses to bear testament to the savage death of the black-robed vampire. In his estimation, the noble's power would give out in only a few more minutes, and Kaname couldn't wait.

By the time they passed through the gates, the signs of distress were becoming evident. His captor was walking slowly now, heavily, as though all his muscles were made of lead… and every few steps, the force compelling Kaname to move would falter slightly, upon which the noble would take several hurried breaths and renew the mental hold. A few yards away, a sleek black car with mirrored windows was waiting. Certain that the effort of manipulating him into the car would break his captor's strength, Kaname began calculating the best means of attack.

The driver side window rolled down, and a long cylindrical object was poked through it. Kaname was still contemplating this when there was a muffled sound and a sudden sting in his thigh.

_What… _but that was as far as he got before the world went black.

x--x--x

Kagechi let out a long, shuddering breath as the pureblood crumpled to the ground.

"Took you long enough to use that thing." he remarked to the driver.

"Needed it to be close range. I recommend that you hurry - tranquilisers don't work well on purebloods, their metabolic rate is too high. I gave him a massive dose, but we'll be pushing it if we don't get moving."

"Then get out and help me!" _Damn arrogant upstart._ Kagechi would've preferred not having to use this particular man's services, but he knew a lot about purebloods and although his fee was exorbitant, he had been highly recommended.

Between them they managed to place the unconscious pureblood in the back seat. Kagechi got in next to him, not wanting to sit with his back exposed to Kuran if his associate's calculations regarding the dosage were in any way incorrect.

"Now drive." he instructed.

x--x--x

He could tell that he was lying down on something hard and cold, but he couldn't have been there for very long as the chill sensation was very sharp and fresh, his body heat not having had time to warm the surface.

Cautiously aware that he might not be alone, he stretched his senses to the limit. He could hear nothing except a faint hum - probably the electricity in the wiring, and there was no sensation of a foreign aura nearby, so he relaxed.

He tried opening his eyes, and was relieved to find that he could. The blackness slowly turned into fuzzy colours, small spots of light dancing through his vision before it cleared. The compulsion was gone, and Kaname was profoundly grateful. Sitting up, he took in his surroundings. It seemed to be an ordinary room, concrete flooring, fluorescent lighting… but the walls glinted dully, and he realized they were made of some sort of metal. There was no door that he could see, although logic dictated that there must be one somewhere… intensifying his search, his keen eyes discovered a slight inconsistency in a rectangular section of the wall near one corner of the room.

'_Right. Now to get out of here; and if I run into that noble on the way, so much the better.'_

Getting to his feet, he walked to where he'd spotted the door, letting his nails lengthen. There was a small crack around the edges, and if he could get his claws into it, he could most likely remove the door by force… there was a sudden flash accompanied by nerve-searing agony and he found himself back on the floor, a few feet from the door.

'_Of course. The walls are electrified…' _Which explained the humming sound and why they were metallic.

A voice interrupted his thoughts, issuing from a small speaker on the roof which was mounted next to a security camera. He recognized it at once as the voice of the black-clad vampire.

"I see you're awake. I trust you won't be trying anything like that again. You may be a pureblood, but I'm sure that must have stung…"

Kaname bit back a growl - he was so heartily _sick_ of this devious noble. He ignored the voice, instead turning his attention to inspecting every inch of the walls. There may not be a weak spot, but if there was one, he would find it.

Much later, he had to admit that his search had been fruitless. The current hummed just as strongly in every part of the walls and the floor was too thick to break through. Not letting his frustration show in case the noble was still watching, he returned to the centre of the room, laying back on the floor and closing his eyes casually. It felt so good to be in control of his mind again, but his current circumstances were less than ideal. He thought he could probably guess why he hadn't been handed over to the authorities, and it didn't bode well. Allowing his mind to drift but keeping his senses on full alert - a trick which he had mastered after years of boring Council meetings - he considered his options.

He had no means of escape, and no way to alert anyone to his situation. Someone back at the academy would eventually realize he was missing, and mount a search, but there weren't really many clues that they would be able to follow, so expecting rescue from that quarter was foolish.

Ichiru had taken Zero, the only other witness… but that was not a good route for his thoughts to take. He shouldn't be thinking of what might or might not be happening to the hunter at the hands of his vengeful brother… he shouldn't care, he shouldn't… shouldn't… _fear_ so for the boy, but of course, the more he tried to steer his mind away from Zero, the more his thoughts turned in that direction.

In reflex, he began to reach for the bond, wanting to connect with his bondmate to assuage his uncertainties, but he caught himself just in time. It was too much of a risk. The noble might sense the connection, and it would let him know that Kaname wasn't quite as impassive as he appeared.

Nevertheless, in the silence of his own mind, he couldn't help but worry about Zero.

x--x--x

The subject of the pureblood's concern shifted restlessly within his chains. Sleep had been elusive, and fatigue was taking its toll. Ichiru hadn't been back since his earlier outburst, and Zero knew he should use the time to plot an escape, but he was so exhausted… letting his eyes slide shut, he tried to think of anything but the nagging, relentless pain that was seeping through his body, intensifying with each passing hour of being strung up like this… he tried to slow his breathing, which was fast becoming panicked.

'_Think! There must be some way out of this mess. Something to use to my advantage…'_

But coherent thought was becoming impossible, tiredness and pain combining to send him into a kind of waking dream, fragments of memories coming back to torment him -

Ichiru's voice, at first mocking and cold -

_Don't you know what happens to a double-bonded vampire when their bondmate dies?_

_They go insane…__**insane**__…_

_Eventually they die, slowly, painfully…_

Then laced with an undercurrent of suppressed anguish -

_I can only hope that you suffer even one tenth of the pain I did on that day..._

Now soft, almost longing -

_Sometimes I wish… it didn't have to end like this…_

- Zero jolted back to full awareness as if he'd been slapped.

'_That's it! I've always had an advantage, but I haven't realised it until now…' _

Somehow, under all the hatred and regret, the brother he had grown up with was still there.

He knew it now with a crystal clear certainty, and his insight gave him new resolve. The pain in his body faded to the back of his mind as plans began to form. It would be a long shot, but he had to try.

Not for himself, but because he owed it to Kaname.

x--x--x

Kagechi was already growing tired of waiting.

He knew the Council would have taken at least three days before reaching a verdict, and probably another two before the sentence was carried out, so he couldn't kill Kuran for a while yet, but that didn't stop him from wanting to go in there right now, using the bond to make the pureblood submit, and gorging himself on that dark, forbidden cocktail that was the very essence of the vampire race.

Knowing that Kuran wasn't completely mindless when under the compulsion only sweetened the deal, as he could imagine no worse torture for the pureblood than having to witness the violation of his own body without being capable of stopping it…

Running his tongue over his fast-sprouting fangs, Kagechi reached for the dagger he kept under his cloak, running his finger almost lovingly along the hilt.

'_Yes…' _It was time to play.


	13. Torn Reflections

Kaname's keen hearing picked up the sound of approaching footsteps. Their cadence told him it was his captor. He did not open his eyes or make any move from his position on the floor, but he did begin preparing his mental defences. Last time he had been caught unawares by the extent of the noble's power, but this time, he planned to be prepared.

The door opened, he could hear the pneumatic hiss as it detached from its frame to swing inwards.

Still he did not move.

Kagechi shut the door behind him, eyeing the pureblood warily. There was no way that Kuran hadn't heard him come in… he must be feigning inattentiveness. Kagechi sneered. How very foolish to expect a trained assassin like him to fall for such a ridiculous ploy. He would make sure the pureblood regretted it. Keeping his distance, he began to reach for the bond. He could feel the bright threads of it singing with power… opening his mind, he reached for the glowing bands - but they eluded his grasp.

When a second try got him the same result, a small jolt of panic ran down his spine. Perhaps he should have subdued Kuran from outside… but he had so wanted to see the moment when the pureblood's will became ensnared… when the calculating intelligence behind those mesmerising eyes faded into dulled obedience…

He took a half-step back, planning to leave the room, but before he could complete the manoeuvre, his legs had been kicked out from under him by one of the devastatingly speedy pureblood's quicksilver moves. Ignoring his vulnerable position, even as Kuran pounced and trapped him in a cage of claw-tipped limbs, Kagechi focused his entire will on the bond. Kuran's attack faltered slightly as he was forced to defend his mind against the onslaught, and Kagechi used the distraction to kick the pureblood viciously in the gut, shattering Kuran's focus and cementing Kagechi's mental hold.

Kaname hissed as pain flared in his abdomen, his breath knocked out of him. _Damn it!_ He had been too careless in his attack, allowing his lust for vengeance to drive him… and now, yet again, he found himself relegated to a corner of his own mind, his body no longer his to command.

Kagechi inhaled deeply, hoping to slow his racing heart. That had been far too close for comfort, and he intended to make Kuran pay for his insolence. He was really going to enjoy this… using his power, he compelled the pureblood to kneel.

"You've been a most troublesome guest… perhaps it's time I taught you some manners."

Gliding closer with near-soundless steps, he placed the flat of the dagger blade against his captive's throat, wanting to prolong the anticipation.

The icy feel of the knife at his neck penetrated Kaname's every sense, impossible to ignore. He would rip this overconfident fool limb from limb when he… _ah!_

Kaname was grateful that he wasn't in control of his vocal cords, as he wasn't sure he would have been able to prevent a small, pained hiss from escaping out loud as the blade broke the sensitive skin just below his jaw line. His captor drew the dagger down the side of his throat slowly, obviously savouring the way it laced open flesh, exposing the scarlet blood beneath.

"I'm intrigued to know what you're thinking right now, _slave_. See how easily I am able to bleed you - and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Kagechi dipped the blade, holding it at an angle so that it caught the scarlet liquid which flowed in such tempting rivulets down the graceful arch of the pureblood's neck before soaking darkly into his shirt.

"I wonder what you taste like - but then, there's only one way to find out…"

He made sure to meet his prisoner's glazed eyes as he brought the blood-soaked blade to his lips, flicking his tongue out to sample the fruits of his victory. So… rich… he shut his eyes for a moment, lost in the enthralling flavour.

_Delicious._

He sank to his knees, facing the pureblood, then leaned in closer, placing his mouth near where the bright trails of blood disappeared into Kuran's collar. He really, _really_ wanted to bite into the beautiful, pale flesh so tantalizingly exposed, to feel it give way beneath his rapidly elongating fangs… but that would be an unconscionable mistake. While he had the power to manipulate bonds, creating one - even if it only went one way - might allow the pureblood access to Kagechi's mind in turn, so the assassin settled for using his tongue to lap at the blood still seeping from the rapidly-closing cuts.

Within the confines of his mental prison, Kaname raged.

It was the most vile, degrading humiliation to have to submit to the sadistic whims of this despicable individual, and the harsh, rasping strokes of the noble's forceful tongue on his skin made him feel sick to his core.

Any second now, his captor was bound to claim him with his fangs, and Kaname didn't think he would be able to retain his sanity when that happened. As an individual who had learned the hard way to hate and fear weakness in any form, this situation was dredging up all kinds of suppressed memories of blood and pain; the night his parents had been killed; the fierce whippings - among other things - Asato Ichijo had subjected him to for "defying him" when he was younger … and that same hopeless, helpless feeling threatened to overwhelm him now. Desperately, he held on to his anger. Blazing, furious wrath was the only island he had in this sea of despondency, and he seized it tenaciously.

Kagechi couldn't resist mocking his victim once more. Lifting his head slightly, he spoke.

"Tell me - do you like it rough?" He punctuated this statement by bringing the dagger into play again, this time cutting deeper, then tracking the escaping blood with another violent sweep of his tongue.

"It certainly looked that way with your ex-human _slut_…"

The flames of Kaname's rage became an inferno. A red haze settled over his consciousness, the inner beast taking control. Way past caring, Kaname gave in to his darkest nature, letting the awakening monster have its way.

At the pureblood's sides, fingers turned into claws with a lethal whisper, twitching slightly. Burgundy eyes lost their blank dullness, saturating with incandescent ruby and savage intent, even as once-innocuous teeth became the razor-tipped weapons of a predator, his own blood filling his mouth where the sharp points caught at his tongue.

Engrossed as he was in his depraved feast, Kagechi failed to notice.

x--x--x

Zero was slipping in and out of consciousness.

At least, that was the only way to explain the strangely disjointed images which flashed through his mind one minute and were gone the next.

A small room, a strange figure clad in black. Breathlessness and pain in his gut… like being kicked or punched. An icy sensation on his upper throat, followed by fiery trails slipping down his neck. A jolt of emotions that he was sure weren't his own rushed through him. Disgust. Shame. Hopelessness… and fierce rage - a hate so strong his soul seemed to burn with it, and then his fangs were growing, his fingers itching at their tips. His vision sharpened as it usually did when his instincts came to the fore, but it was as if it was happening far away, in a place he had no control over.

Perhaps he was already losing his mind. After all, insanity had been stalking him ever since he'd become a vampire.

A dull throbbing was starting at the base of his throat, and his unease grew. Strange tingles of unfamiliar power were suddenly dancing in his blood, adrenalin racing through his veins as if he was tensing for a fight. More flashes… more pain... the flavour of blood in his mouth, wholly unique and distinctive - _Kaname's_ blood.

Realization dawned on him, a sickening feeling taking root in his stomach.

_No! It couldn't be… not yet!_

He thrashed against the chains binding him, only half-aware of his own surroundings as he tried to grab hold of the images in his mind, engaging in a phantom battle, needing to know the outcome.

Somewhere, right now, Kaname was fighting for his life.

His life - and Zero's.

x--x--x

It was only years of training and carefully honed reflexes that saved Kagechi from the first blindingly fast thrust of the pureblood's claws. He hastily sidestepped and sank into a crouch, simultaneously minimising the target and forcing Kuran to shift his position.

Cursing himself for a fool, he wrenched at his hold on the bond, but the pureblood seemed unaffected.

This was bad. Glancing at his adversary, he realized Kuran's bestial side had taken over - the utterly ruthless, savage side of his nature, which knew no morality and showed no mercy. While Kagechi still had a firm grip on the threads of the double-bond, he was only a noble, and his power was nowhere near strong enough to control a pure-blooded vampire at its most elemental.

A low growl tore through the air, a challenge, one predator sizing up another.

Kagechi fought against the instinctive urge to run for the door, knowing that it would be a mistake - only prey backs down from a fight.

Maintaining direct eye-contact, he ran through his options. He needed some way to force Kuran's feral side to withdraw so that he could use his powers again, while avoiding getting ripped to shreds in the process… mind going a mile a minute, he found the answer.

Kagechi snarled, urging the pureblood into combat. Time stood still for a moment as they both stared each other down, and then seemed to speed up as Kuran leapt with the powerful, graceful economy of movement of a jungle cat.

Timing it to perfection, Kagechi waited until the last second before the pureblood's lithe form made contact with him, then dropped to the floor, reaching upwards to grab hold of Kuran's shirt, using it as leverage to throw the pureblood into the nearest wall.

There was a flash and a rain of sparks as Kuran's body made contact, and then the pureblood slumped to the floor, convulsing. The pain and surprise of the sudden electrocution had the desired effect - Kuran's claws and fangs retracting, the murderous glow fading from his eyes.

This time Kagechi met no resistance when he seized the bond. Using it to keep the pureblood immobile on the floor, he made his escape. When the door finally shut behind him, he let out a deep breath. He wasn't planning on trying _that_ again in a hurry.

Next time, he would err on the side of caution.

Of course, the next time he came in here it would be to kill, not just to toy with his captive… and now that he had gotten a taste of that incredibly intoxicating elixir… he was thinking the "Council's decision" would have to be expedited.

x--x--x

Ichiru decided he had composed himself sufficiently to face his brother again. He had initially planned to spend as much time as possible in Zero's cell. Although he still wanted to watch his brother die, he also wanted to savour every last moment with him. Whether it was some almost-forgotten love for his twin surfacing, or just that Ichiru would delight in witnessing Zero's slow demise - or perhaps some combination of the two - Ichiru didn't question it. As he drew closer to the basement room where his brother was imprisoned, he became aware of the sounds of movement, chains clinking slightly. It didn't sound like an earnest escape attempt, which was rather disappointing. Ichiru had always envied Zero's fiery side, the side that never surrendered even in the most adverse of circumstances. He wanted to watch Zero _fight._

Holding the lamp aloft, he entered the small, damp space. At first, he didn't understand what he was seeing, but slowly it became clear. Zero jerked spasmodically in the chains, his whole body racked with tremors. He seemed to be having some kind of seizure, blood running down his chin from where he had caught his lips with his teeth. Unable to suppress a sudden surge of fear, Ichiru hastened to Zero's side, slapping his twin across the cheek hard. Getting no response, he began to worry. He told himself this concern was only because if Zero died now, it would cut short the fun of watching him waste away painfully, but in truth, it sparked long-buried feelings of fraternal sympathy.

"Zero? Zero!"

Zero gave one final shudder, and then went limp. Frantically, Ichiru searched his brother's throat for a pulse. What he found was not encouraging, it was weak and fading fast. He also noted that Zero seemed to have stopped breathing, and his skin was becoming clammy and cold beneath Ichiru's fingers.

'_Damn you Zero! Don't you dare take my vengeance away from me!'_

Reaching into his jacket pocket, Ichiru fumbled for the key to the manacles which held his twin suspended by the wrists. Unlocking them, he supported Zero's weight before laying him on his back. Desperately, he knelt next to his brother, holding Zero's nose closed with one hand while he leaned forward to perform mouth-to-mouth. His lips were inches from his twin's when Zero suddenly bucked underneath him. Ichiru barely had time to register his surprise before long, wickedly sharp fangs were driven deeply into his neck.

Ichiru pulled back, causing Zero's teeth to rip through his flesh. He ignored the pain, his hand already on the hilt of his sword. Pulling it free from its scabbard, he rolled to his feet, whirling to face his opponent.

Zero had also risen, but his feet were still chained to the floor, giving Ichiru a reach advantage. His brother's face and chest were drenched in blood, and his glare was tinged with scarlet fire.

Ichiru knew he should leave the room and tend to his wound. If he didn't stem the bleeding, he could die… but something about Zero's mocking stance seemed to call to him to stand and fight. Zero's voice broke the silence, deciding his fate.

"Well little brother? Aren't you going to run away again?"

Rage seethed within Ichiru. Years of neglect and rejection rose to the surface, demanding retribution. When he spoke, the words were cold and harsh.

"I wouldn't give you the satisfaction."

"Come on then. Either way, this ends now."

Holding his sword at the ready, Ichiru advanced on his twin.

x--x--x

This hadn't exactly been a part of Zero's original plan, but when he woke from hazy nightmares of Kaname, wracked with pain, only to find himself partially freed and Ichiru's throat so conveniently placed, he had reacted on instinct. It had now come down to a confrontation - one which Zero was not at all sure of winning.

Ichiru was armed, he was not.

Ichiru was free to move around, he was not.

Ichiru wanted to kill him, and - in spite of everything - Zero wasn't prepared to take the life of his twin.

Notwithstanding these disadvantages, he had to try. This was perhaps his one and only chance to escape - and Kaname was already injured. Zero didn't know how much longer the pureblood had before the Council reached a verdict and executed him outright or tortured him to death, and he felt compelled to get there before either of those things happened.

He watched numbly as Ichiru moved around him, looking for an opportunity to attack. Zero resisted the lure to turn around and track his brother's actions each time he circled behind him, knowing that it would only result in the chains getting tangled around his feet, which was no doubt what Ichiru wanted to achieve. Instead, he used his senses, both hunter and vampire, to keep himself aware of his brother's position and intentions. An indrawn breath alerted Zero that Ichiru was making a move on him from behind his back, and he waited until he could feel the rush of air ahead of the sword blade before moving slightly aside, just enough that the blade only skimmed along his ribs instead of skewering him. The shallow cut burned, but he ignored it as Ichiru's momentum carried him within reach. Grabbing hold of his twin's wrists, he brought the sword up and around, trying to twist it from Ichiru's grip.

Like a strange parody of mirrored reflections, they grappled silently. Zero's strength was flagging, but he knew the moment he let go of Ichiru the fight would be lost, so he hung on like grim death. Ichiru writhed, attempting to evade his brother's grasp, his breath coming in harsh pants.

"You… can't win Zero… Face it - Shizuka-sama's blood has made me stronger… than you."

Zero didn't waste time or energy on replying, only redoubled his efforts.

x--x--x

Kaname was sure he was dreaming.

He was locked in a struggle with Ichiru Kiriyu, wrestling him for his sword. His usually inexhaustible pureblood strength seemed to be failing him though, and that vexed him no end as it denied him the expedient end to this battle he so craved.

No matter - there were other ways, and nobody said it had to be a fair fight.

Reaching within his mind for his power, he willed the sword out of his opponent's hands. He watched as Ichiru's eyes widened in shock, and he revelled in the anticipation of what would come next…

Keeping the sword suspended, he gripped Ichiru's left arm, swinging him around and capturing him from behind, then kneeing the back of his leg to force the human to kneel, while knotting a hand in Ichiru's hair to force his head back. Amethyst eyes, so alike yet so different to his brother's, stared into Kaname's face in disbelief, fear and betrayal.

He savoured the moment of victory, making sure to lock gazes with the younger Kiriyu twin before he grabbed the sword with his mind. As the blade plunged downwards, spearing through Ichiru's chest, Kaname only had one thought.

_This is for Zero._

x--x--x

Zero stared down at Ichiru in horror.

He had no idea how it had happened… one moment he had been losing the battle and then suddenly… suddenly…

'_Oh God! What have I done?'_

Ichiru's hand came up to clutch weakly at the blade so cruelly impaling him, as if unable to accept that it was real. His eyes met Zero's once more, and any spark of evil intent or ill-will towards his twin faded instantly. There was only Zero, the strong, ever-present defender who had always shielded him when they were young… and now there were so many things he wanted to tell his brother. Things he had been hiding before, but which suddenly became clear. He drew a ragged breath to speak.

"Ze…ro. I'm sorry. I didn't want…"

The rest was drowned out by a sudden fit of coughing, blood bubbling up from his lungs to spill into his mouth. He sank to the floor, pain overtaking him for a moment.

Zero knelt next to him, laying Ichiru's head in his lap, turning it slightly to try and clear the airways. All Ichiru's sins against him and his family were drowned out in an instant by the overwhelming urge to protect the small, vulnerable boy who had always turned to his big brother for comfort. Zero's voice came out shaky, choked with emotion.

"Shhh, don't speak. It will be all right. It will…"

Ichiru gave a slight shake of his head. He knew he was dying, but there was one last thing he needed to say. Feebly, he reached up a hand, twining his cold fingers with Zero's warm ones.

"I…I love you Zero… always. Forgive me."

The light slowly faded from Ichiru's eyes, leaving Zero truly alone for the first time in his life.

Cradling his twin's broken form, Zero wept.


	14. Second Sight

It had been three days since the news of Kaname and Zero's disappearance. Yuuki remembered the morning in question, the morning after Zero's rejection of her blood -

_Sunlight filtered through a crack in the curtains, casting a spear of bright, warm light across Yuuki's bed. She had been awake for some time now, having been unable to catch more than a few hours of broken, uneasy slumber. _

_She turned over, away from the light, pulling her covers up over her head to hide her face. Silent tears resumed their by now well-worn tracks down her cheeks._

_**Zero.**_

_She would never understand him. It had hurt her far more than she wanted to admit when he had run from her last night. He had offered no explanation, just a muffled apology and then he was gone. Fleeing from her, as if she had done something to hurt him…_

"_Yuuki? Are you awake?" Yori's voice intruded on her thoughts, "It's time to get up, we'll be late otherwise."_

_Hastily drying her tears with the bedcovers, Yuuki made as if to rise, before remembering that if she went to class, she would have to see Zero - and she just couldn't face that prospect right now._

"_You go on ahead, Yori. I… I don't feel well, so I'm not going to school today."_

_Yori had glanced at her, concerned - it was unlike Yuuki to miss school even when she really was ill - she always said that her disciplinary duties were the most important thing. Still, she didn't press the matter._

_Yuuki had curled up under the blankets once more, hiding herself from the world._

_Some time later, a knock had sounded on her door, and the chairman had come in. He'd sat down next to her, and he'd seemed to find it hard to speak. Eventually though, she'd got the drift._

_Kaname was gone._

_Zero was gone._

_Only she was left behind._

- She'd been over it so many times in her mind now, wondering if she could have prevented anything by running after Zero that night instead of remaining in that empty classroom to nurse her shattered feelings. Perhaps she would have been able to save Zero and Kaname as well… or at least have some idea where they'd been taken. By now, it had become pretty clear that Ichiru was the main suspect since he had disappeared at the same time, but he had left no clues, no traces, and even the night class with their enhanced senses had been unable to find a scent worth following.

It was late afternoon now, the cool evening breeze rustling the leaves of the tree she was sitting under. She hadn't had the heart to do her prefect duties since the news, and the chairman understood. Instead, she sat here, beneath the tree where Zero had kissed her, trapped in her thoughts.

To think she had once been afraid of losing either one of them by admitting her feelings for the other - and now she had lost them both, as if fate was mocking her for her indecision. She bit back the tears which threatened to overflow once more, while sending out a silent wish.

_Wherever you are - come back to me, please. Both of you._

x--x--x

A while later, Zero pulled himself together.

Sealing his pain behind the impenetrable walls which had long surrounded his heart, he searched his brother's body for the key to the shackles holding his ankles. Finding it, he freed himself, with one objective firmly in mind. He had to save Kaname, or Ichiru's death would have been for nothing - and without that justification, Zero's own crushing guilt would overwhelm him.

Standing up, he stretched a little, easing the aching stiffness that had claimed his muscles over the time of his imprisonment. He realised his arms were still covered in Ichiru's blood, and the sight sickened him. Taking the lamp and leaving the room, he began searching for some water. One of the rooms he came across had trickles of water sluicing down the walls, obviously the result of some kind of leak. After cleaning himself up, he took a few sips to soothe his parched throat. It tasted stale and brackish, but it was cool and wet, so he gulped it down.

Further exploration revealed that he was in some kind of underground storage facility. Most of the storerooms were empty, and the others were filled with various old, rusted, broken or otherwise disused goods. In one room at least, he found something useful. There were some jerry-cans along one wall, and a quick investigation revealed them to be filled with gasoline. He picked up one of them, carrying it back to the room where he had been held captive.

Forcing himself to be detached and practical, he tugged off his brother's jacket. Zero himself was still in his tattered white school shirt which was streaked and spattered with blood, and soon he would be walking out into the streets, so he would need something less macabre to wear. The calf-length jacket was black, so the bloodstains on it didn't show up as vividly. It would have to do for now.

Kneeling next to Ichiru's body, Zero laid a hand on his twin's arm, remaining that way for a second in a final farewell. He wasn't looking forward to what he had to do next, but nevertheless it had to be done.

Pouring the gasoline over the body, he laid a trail of it back towards the door, and then used the lamp to set it alight. As the flames began their inexorable track towards his twin, he turned and left. This was something Zero did not want to witness.

He found his way out easily enough - the stairs to the upper levels were at the end of the corridor. Once he reached ground level, he planned his next move. He knew exactly the way he needed to go to find Kaname, but he didn't know _how_ he knew. It was just a strange, nagging sense that sort of pulled him towards the pureblood. At any other time, he would have hated it and called it unsettling to say the least, but right now, he was profoundly grateful for it as it gave him direction and purpose.

It was early evening by the looks of the fading light coming through the small windows up near the warehouse roof, and for that Zero was thankful. He would be less conspicuous at night. He didn't feel comfortable leaving until it was fully dark, so instead he sat down to wait.

Kaname was in the hands of the Council, and getting him out or helping him was not going to be easy. Zero knew he would probably be forfeiting his own life in a few hours, but he was prepared for that. It was either die now, trying to free a wronged man, or die later when the bond was severed by Kaname's death. There would be guards, and they would all be nobles. The Council wouldn't entrust safekeeping of a pureblood prisoner to anyone of lesser station. Zero still knew quite a few hunter tricks though, and if he was quick enough, incapacitating them would be easy. Getting back out though, might prove problematic. He and Kaname would both be wanted fugitives, and unlike human law enforcement, the Council had eyes and ears everywhere…

Leaning his head back against the wall, he closed his eyes.

_Kaname. No matter what it takes, I will get you out of their damned clutches._

- 'Zero?'

The shock was so great, Zero half-leapt to his feet, knocking his head on a shelf and sending empty paint cans crashing to the floor. Heart racing, Zero scanned his surroundings, rather surprised to find that he was still alone… but he had clearly heard Kaname's voice, it had been as if the pureblood was right next to him!

_What the hell?_

Tentatively, Zero attempted to return to the state of mind he'd been in when the hallucination had occurred. As if slipping into a well-worn groove, his mind seemed to know what to do. His awareness crept hesitantly along the bond until it touched the other end, a light brush.

- 'Kaname?'

Zero spoke aloud as well as in his thoughts, it wasn't as if anyone could hear and it seemed less strange to speak naturally than to just "think" words at the pureblood.

He was prepared for a reply this time, but it still made a small jolt run through him.

- 'Yes.'

Encouraged by this, Zero let fly with a flurry of questions.

- 'How many guards are there? When is your trial? Have they judged you yet?'

He sensed dry amusement seeping through the bond.

- 'One thing at a time, Kiriyu.'

- 'Sorry. Have the Council…'

- 'I'm not with the Council. Your brother's presumptuous excuse for a sidekick decided to keep me to himself.'

Zero couldn't hide the flash of pain that tore at him at hearing Ichiru referred to so coldly, but he tried not to dwell on it.

- 'He…there was someone else working with him?'

- 'Yes. A noble… I haven't been formally introduced, but he is… troublesome. He has the power to manipulate bonds, and our bond makes me - _us _- especially vulnerable.'

- 'Ichiru told me we have a double-bond, one that's supposed to be outlawed…'

Kaname's reply was tense.

- 'Why do you feel pain every time your brother is mentioned?'

Zero didn't feel up to answering that right now, so he hedged instead.

- 'Are there guards watching you?'

The pureblood's tone suggested he wasn't happy about the subject change, but he would let it be for now.

- 'No, I sense nothing. It's only the noble. What about you? Has he hurt you?'

Again, the unstoppable twinge of sadness.

- 'Uh… no. Listen, I'm coming to get you out. I'll leave as soon as it's dark…'

- 'You've escaped?' Unmistakable interest now.

- 'Yeah. I'm coming. Just… just hold on okay?'

There was no answer, but there didn't really need to be.

x--x--x

For one, precious moment - Kaname allowed himself to hope. He had chosen Zero to be Yuuki's shield not only because he knew the silver-haired vampire would not betray her, but because he knew Zero to be fiercely protective and loyal. It seemed, in a startling twist of fate, that those same qualities might now be helpful to Kaname himself.

The black-clad noble had not returned since their earlier confrontation and it made Kaname uneasy. He would rather fight, knowing what his enemy was up to than be left in peace and uncertainty. He wanted to pace the room, his restless anxiety growing by the second, but he knew to do so would give away too much regarding his state of mind.

It had been surprising to hear Zero's voice earlier. Kaname had been sitting quietly, not really paying attention to anything but his own breathing. It was a calming technique, and it helped him control the pain in his chest which had begun right after his altercation with the noble. The transformation into his pure vampire form always amplified his bloodlust, and it was made worse by the injury he had sustained during the fight. He had been taking deep, steadying breaths and letting them out slowly, lulled into a trance-like state by the regular rhythm and repetitive motion, when he had heard Zero.

It was with forced restraint that Kaname suppressed a reaction, but he managed it. As quickly as it had come though, Zero's "voice" was gone. Kaname waited, doubting his own senses, until there was another tentative probe at his mind, and Zero spoke again.

During the course of their conversation, Kaname had been unable to stop himself from asking if Zero was okay. He considered it an unforgivable lapse - a pureblood did not _care_ about an ex-human _damn it_ - but he had felt true relief when the hunter assured him he was fine.

_It's the bond… for as long as I exist I will never forgive myself for forming it. I need nobody. I depend on nobody. I cannot afford to display that kind of weakness… and yet, every time I think of him, I can't help the way I feel - like he is my anchor, my lifeline… No! _

Shaking himself out of these disturbing thoughts, he focused on tactics instead. If indeed the hunter managed to follow through on his promises, Kaname would have to be ready.

x--x--x

Ichijo had his hands full. Since Kaname's disappearance three days ago, he hadn't slept. He worked ceaselessly on following possible leads, even panning for malicious gossip at social events which might give away some vague hint as to in whose hands the pureblood might currently be or why he had been taken, but without success.

It complicated matters that the chairman had asked him to keep it quiet. As far as most of the Night Class knew, Kaname had been called away on urgent business. Only Ichijo, Kain, Aido, Ruka, Rima and Shiki knew the truth, and they were all helping to perpetuate the lie.

The guards, of course, had been furious to find out that Kaname had left without their "protection" - although Ichijo had been certain they were actually more annoyed not to be flown around the world first-class courtesy of Kuran Enterprises. In any event, he had soon silenced their protests by reminding them the attempt on Kaname's life had taken place at the academy, and thus he was probably safer away from it. After that confrontation, the guards had returned to their usual habits of drinking and gambling, awaiting Kaname's return in comfort.

Ichijo entered his room, having just got back from another meeting with the Chairman. There had been nothing new to report, and much as Ichijo hated to admit it, Kaname's chances of returning safely diminished with each day.

The blond, green-eyed noble rubbed at his temples as he went over to the side table for some blood tablets and a glass of water. He sank down into an armchair, throwing one leg carelessly over the arm. He would not normally sit so indecorously, but his dorm room was the one place he could just let himself go. He was halfway through drinking the crimson liquid when Shiki entered. The model raised an eyebrow at Ichijo's posture, but when he noticed the tension in his roommate's face, he swallowed back the comment he was about to make.

"Takuma, are you all right?"

Ichijo wanted to say yes, but he had never really been able to lie to Shiki.

"Not really. I just… I keep thinking about him. We, no - _I_ should have been there. This is the second time I've cost Kaname something through my absence…"

Ichijo's voice became strained.

"I promised him once, Senri, when we were younger. I swore I would always be there, that I would lay down my life to protect him! And now…" He couldn't continue.

Shiki walked over to him and sat on the arm of the chair next to Ichijo's elbow.

"It's not your fault."

Ichijo just shook his head slowly.

Shiki reached a decision. He knew that what Ichijo needed right now was someone he could break down in front of, someone who would share his pain completely. Until he was able to show the true extent of his anguish, he wouldn't be able to heal that hurt. Despite the level of trust between them, Shiki knew Ichijo still wouldn't cry in front of him… he would keep trying to hold that brave face, and it wasn't doing him any good. He rose, pulling Ichijo to his feet.

"Senri! What are you doing?"

Shiki began steering Ichijo towards the door.

"We're going to look for Yuuki."

x--x--x

Darkness descended, and Zero slipped out of the warehouse, losing himself in the shadows.

He knew exactly which part of town he was in; he had been down here a few times on academy business. The wholesaler's where the chairman placed orders for the academy's kitchens was just around the corner.

He was very glad the Council knew nothing of the forbidden bond; it would make it far easier on both himself and Kaname once the pureblood was free. They would not be hunted down after all, Kaname could go back to acting all superior and Zero could return to disliking him intensely - the natural order of things would be restored.

It also made the problem of rescuing the pureblood less troublesome. If Kaname's senses were accurate - and Zero knew by now they were usually extremely so - he would only have to worry about that noble Kaname mentioned. Of course, Zero had no idea how strong the noble's talent was or what he could do with it; Kaname had been rather vague on that point. Zero decided to leave nothing to chance, and treat the enemy as a distinct threat. He had no weapons, and no way of procuring any, so he would have to be vigilant.

Kaname was across town somewhere - Zero found he could tell not only the direction, but also the distance. It was freaky… but useful.

He appropriated a ride from a middle-aged commuter soon afterwards. A quick flash of his red eyes and fangs had made the man very cooperative. Zero hated to expose his vampire nature like that, especially to intimidate someone, but he figured it was necessary. He could not erase the man's memory, but the risk was minimal - anyone he told would most likely not believe him, and even if they did, Zero would be long gone.

When his instinct told him Kaname was only a few blocks away, Zero got out of his reluctant taxi. He used his vampire speed to "disappear" - running faster than the man could track. Hopefully, the driver would think it was nothing but a bad dream.

As Zero walked along the streets, his neck began to throb, letting him know he was getting close. When the vague tug became an unstoppable pull, he knew he'd found the place.

It was a dark-brick building with a rusted sign over the door reading "Shirokei Psychological Institute"_. Kaname was being held in an asylum?_ Despite the seriousness of the situation, he found it wryly amusing. A faded notice pinned to the access door declared that the building had been evacuated while the Institute was under investigation for "unsafe practices". Thankful that the place was deserted, he opened the door, making as little noise as possible. Once he was inside, he shut his eyes for a second, giving his senses free rein. Kaname was… below, and over to the left. There was a staircase, and he took it.

One floor down, he came upon a row of metal doors, each with a touchpad beside it. Identifying the one he sought was simple, and he walked over to it, fearing what the touchpad held. If it was some kind of biometric sensor or code-panel, he would have to track the mysterious noble down and force him to open it. He reached the door and looked at the buttons on the touchpad. Relief washed through him strongly, almost making him laugh. This facility was obviously not designed to keep people _out_, only _in_. There were two self-explanatory buttons and a switch. He hit the one marked "Open", and the door did just that.

x--x--x

Upstairs in the control room, Kagechi leaned back in the swivel-chair, his feet up on the console in front of him. He had a glass of wine in one hand, and he sipped it slowly as he watched the scene unfolding in his captive's cell. A smirk to rival his erstwhile employer's spread across his features.

How very foolish, to enter the lair of an enemy without thorough preparation. That was the trouble with these young vampires, they never paid enough attention to detail - and in the end, they always paid the price for it.

Still grinning, he reached out a hand and lazily flicked the switch marked "lockdown". Unlike the silver-haired ex-human, Kagechi had done his homework and chosen the location carefully. This building was actually used to house violent psychopaths, so escape was always a concern. The sequence he had just triggered shut down every possible escape route in mere seconds, turning the entire building into what was essentially an impenetrable steel fortress.

As the alarms began to sound, he watched the shocked reactions of his prisoners in the cell below. Humming quietly to himself, he checked his weapons, pausing only to slip a small, square device into his pocket before he made his way downstairs.

Things were about to get… _interesting_.


	15. The Devil's Due

The door opened silently, and Zero caught sight of Kaname standing in the centre of the room. The hunter's lilac eyes met the pureblood's burgundy ones and time seemed to freeze as Zero's breath caught in his throat. Whatever he had imagined this meeting would be like, it certainly wasn't _this_. This magnetic draw, the inability to break the gaze, this sensation of contentment. Vaguely, Zero wondered if he was just going crazy, or if maybe Kaname too was somewhat affected.

Kaname had tensed when the door had opened. Even though the bond was telling him Zero was on the other side of the door, he refused to believe it until he saw it for himself. When the silver-haired hunter had indeed appeared, a sudden surge of relief and hope had washed through him. It was shameful really, in that it forced him to admit to himself that he had actually been _depending_ on Zero to save him to some extent, but the flicker of self-directed chastisement soon died as he met the hunter's stare.

Neither of them had said anything, but there didn't seem to be a need to speak, at least, not out loud. Zero felt a light brush against his mind, and then Kaname's voice echoed in his thoughts.

- 'Zero. You came…'

- 'I said I would, didn't I?'

In a sense, this was the first time they'd seen each other since the double-bond was formed, and neither of them had truly been prepared for the slew of emotions it would cause. There was a powerful sense of peace in each other's company, a feeling of _home_. Seconds seemed to become hours, and still neither of them moved or spoke. It was too easy to get lost in their own private universe. In an attempt to snap out of this strange daze, Kaname forced his eyes to leave Zero's, looking towards the ceiling instead. When his gaze caught on the small, black square mounted there, it brought him back to reality with the speed and force of a swift slap. Swearing he'd never forgive himself for acting so foolishly when they were both in danger, he hurried to make contact with Zero's mind once more.

- 'We need to leave - now. There's a camera in here and…' but Kaname's warning was interrupted by the sudden screeching wail of a siren. The door slammed shut behind Zero, trapping them both.

Everything else was forgotten as they instantly tensed, ready to fight. Both facing the door now, Zero began backing towards the centre of the room - definitely _not _because it was closer to Kaname and he was having all kinds of strange protective urges, but because it was the most defensible position.

"Kaname what…" Zero began asking out loud, but the pureblood silenced him with a thought.

-'Talk this way. Less risky if the room is bugged.'

-'What should we do? What if this noble has reinforcements?'

-'I doubt it, he's very confident in himself. He'll be convinced he can handle this alone.'

Zero couldn't suppress a derogatory snort.

-'Against _both_ of us?'

-'Don't be so sure, Kiriyu. His powers are already strong, and now that he has both ends of the bond within reach, they will probably be amplified.'

-'So how do we do this?'

There was a split second of hesitation before Kaname's reply which sent a small sliver of worry through Zero.

-'We'll just have to wait and see. Don't let him corner you - the walls are electrified. Last time he was in here he was armed with only a knife… so if you can get free of his power for long enough to attack him, do it - but be careful - he's very fast, and has been trained as an assassin. Whatever happens - do not underestimate him.'

For Kaname to admit that an enemy was dangerous was warning enough. Zero brought all his senses into focus, hoping his hyper-aware state would give him a small advantage against this unknown adversary.

x--x--x

Kagechi made his way slowly towards his captive's cell, having no need to rush and wanting to keep them guessing. He had not forgotten the near-miss situation with Kuran earlier, and this time he resolved to place caution above all else.

Standing right outside the door to the electrified cubicle, Kagechi listened carefully for any sounds, but it was completely silent, which made all sorts of warning bells go off in the assassin's mind. He decided it would be less of a risk to use his powers to subdue both of them from out here – he wasn't about to let either of them slip from his grasp. The hunter had obviously already staged one escape having gotten away from Ichiru, a feat which had cost Kagechi the other half of his bounty. The best way to ensure complacency from both of them would be to use the double-bond against them. The instinct to protect their bondmate would soon override everything else... if he threatened the ex-human, he was sure the pureblood would be more cooperative – and now that there was no real need to kill Kuran, he planned to keep him around. A regular diet of pure vampire blood whenever he was injured or just wanted blood more potent than usual, would be a far better use for the pureblood... and it would be more sensible to boost his powers and build his strength over a period of time; allowing him to get used to the transition gradually than to drain the pureblood just once and gain abilities he might not be able to control.

Reaching out with his mind, he found the humming, brilliant beacon that was the double-bond's thread. Even through the metal of the door it drew him like a magnet, and he soon had it in his grasp. He met no resistance as he seized it; obviously Kuran was too preoccupied right now to gather an appropriate mental defence, and the ex-human's level of control was negligible, he had always been easy to manipulate.

Once he was certain he had both vampires – especially the pureblood - subdued, he pressed the button to open the door. The two of them stood in the centre of the room, immobilised by his power. Unable to resist, he chuckled darkly.

"Well, well. Isn't this a touching little reunion?"

He walked over to the silver-haired vampire, staring deeply into the glazed lavender eyes.

"You've cost me a lot of money, ex-human... and Kuran has cost me a lot of patience. But not to worry – both of you will soon be working to repay that debt..."

For a moment, Kagechi could have sworn he saw a flicker of something in the hunter's eyes; a shadow of intelligence not under his control, but he put it down to a trick of the light. Last time he had been been caught unawares by Kuran's transformation, but now he was sure to keep the pureblood's mental state firmly in check while advancing on the ex-human, pulling the knife from under his cloak as he did so, planning to sample the fruits of his efforts. After all, Kuran had seemed to find the hunter's blood quite tasty... perhaps Kagechi had gained not one blood source but two...

x--x--x

Zero had been surprised when Kaname had suddenly stilled and frozen mid-thought. When he saw that the pureblood's eyes had become glassy and unfocused, he realized it must be the powers of the noble Kaname had described. At almost the same instant, he had felt something tug at the edges of his awareness. He had expected to be relegated to a corner of his own consciousness next, much like when Shizuka had controlled him back at the academy, but although Kaname had obviously succumbed to the effects, Zero felt only the slightest whisper of the compulsion. Before he had time to contemplate this new development or what significance it might have though, the door began to swing inwards. Not wanting to give the game away by displaying his advantage, Zero let his posture slacken and carefully mimicked Kaname's vacant expression.

The black-clad assassin entered, a smug smirk in place on his features. Zero hated him instantly, and it was all he could do to keep still and not try to take the overconfident bastard down. The assassin immediately came towards him, making comments about how he intended to exact payment from them for their supposed slights against him. Zero had been unable to completely suppress the anger that had roiled within him at the offhand, self-assured way this creep was talking about them, and he just hoped their captor was wallowing in too much self-satisfaction to notice anything amiss.

The noble continued coming towards him, reaching into his cloak for something. _The knife Kaname was talking about earlier..._ if that was indeed the assassin's only weapon, then now would be the perfect time to attack. Zero weighed up his options, deciding that even if the black-clad vampire had something else up his sleeve, he would be unlikely to reveal it until he'd made his move.

Soon their captor stood right in front of him, entirely focused on his neck. Seizing his chance, Zero lunged, toppling them both to the ground. The assassin twisted, trying to get away before Zero could pin him. The hunter had to admit that Kaname was right about this being a dangerous foe.

A heated struggle ensued, each of them claiming the advantage several times, but then losing it again. Zero was trying to wrestle the blade from the other vampire's grip, but it was a difficult task as the noble's reflexes were incredible. Zero's opponent was lithe, leanly muscular and a powerful adversary. Zero himself was tired and weak from his previous imprisonment, decidedly the worse for wear... but desperation drove him onwards as they tussled, kicking, slashing and clawing at each other as their fight took them across the floor, and into the line of sight of Kaname's glazed burgundy eyes.

x--x--x

The ex-human's sudden resistance had been completely unexpected, and Kagechi cursed himself mightily for not following his instincts and realizing sooner. As their struggle intensified, Kagechi found his mental hold on the pureblood slipping. It was extremely difficult to divide his focus between the hunter punching and clawing at him and the pureblood's dark, savage side threatening to break through his hold and come to the fore. As their momentum carried them into Kuran's sight, Kagechi felt his stranglehold on the pureblood's vicious half give way. Within seconds, Kuran had once more become the razor-clawed, scarlet-eyed predator that was the true form of his race. Knowing he had only moments to get away, Kagechi lashed out skilfully with the knife, managing to catch the hunter in the ribs and taking great satisfaction in the hiss of pain that wrung from the stoic ex-human. Before Kagechi could turn the silver-haired vampire's injury to his advantage though, the luscious scent of the hunter's blood hit the air, and the pureblood – driven by the instinct to protect his mate – went wild.

Jagged claws sank effortlessly into the flesh of Kagechi's shoulders as he was forcibly ripped off the ex-human and flung six feet across the room. He felt his lower spine snap an instant before the white-hot agony of the electrified walls seared across the remainder of his nerves. He slumped to the ground, legs useless, as Kuran stalked menacingly towards him.

He had dealt in death long enough to know when it was inevitable, but something in his nature refused to simply give up. He reached inside his cloak once more, this time retrieving the sleek, black detonator he'd stashed there earlier. He had originally planned only to use it to destroy the evidence after killing Kuran, but since his plans had changed he'd brought it along as an insurance policy. Now however, it was his only option. He was well aware that he wouldn't make it out of here alive, but at least he could have the satisfaction of taking his killer to the grave in return. It would be almost impossible for both his captives to survive the blast, especially the ex-human... and of course, if one bondmate died, so would the other. A small, manic smile tugged at his lips as his thumb found the button. He made sure the detonator was in view as he activated it, a small red light starting to blink slowly. Looking up into Kuran's deadly visage, knowing it was the last thing he would ever see, he waved the device lazily.

"Well played – but you still lose. This place is locked down, no chance of either of you getting away... and when these explosives go off, neither of you will survive."

He remained still as the pureblood bent over him. In a voice like glass shards wrapped in velvet, Kuran spoke.

"Oh? Really?"

Kagechi felt claws wrap around his throat, ripping, tearing; and then... nothing.

x--x--x

Kaname's dark rage overtook him, and he was unable to stop himself from ripping the assassin's body limb from limb, blood spurting everywhere, until all that was left was a pile of gory ashes.

Zero could only watch as blood soaked into Kaname's sleeves, ran down his hands and pooled stickily on the floor, afraid of getting close to the murderous pureblood; but at the same time unable to look away from the carnage. There was something both frightening and strangely... _natural_ about Kaname in this state, fierce, elemental, violently savage in the grip of a bloodstained frenzy. It made Zero's heart beat a little faster just seeing it. Kaname seemed so graceful in his movements... agile and perfectly balanced. It was admirable really... _but now is hardly the time to be having thoughts like that. _Shaking himself out of his reverie, Zero gathered his courage and addressed the pureblood, who was now staring at the mess on the floor as if entranced.

"Kaname?"

There was no movement, so Zero tried again.

"Kaname!"

The second, more forceful injunction seemed to penetrate the crimson haze surrounding the pureblood, and he looked up from the scene of his slaughter, meeting Zero's gaze. The eye contact brought him back to himself, like a grounding wire; claws retracted, replaced by long , pale fingers... eyes lost their iridescent crimson fire and returned to normal, a sudden hint of concern becoming evident in them.

"Zero... you're bleeding."

Zero shrugged.

"It's healing already, I'll live."

As Zero looked over the gore-streaked, ash-covered floor, he spotted a small black box, with a light blinking laconically on its face lying amidst the destruction. Kaname had followed Zero's gaze, and now they looked up at each other, the realization of the device's meaning dawning on both of them simultaneously as they recalled the noble's last words.

Kaname knew that being a pureblood - and moreover being a pureblood with the ability to manipulate objects kinetically – he could most likely survive the blast... but Zero would not be so lucky. To complicate matters, there was the bond to consider; if either one of them died, they would be condemning the other to a slow, painful death as well. In essence, they were no longer living separate lives. Their life forces had been completely and irrevocably entwined, for better or worse... it was like they were one being in two bodies. Zero may only just be beginning to understand that, but Kaname knew it only too well. From the moment the double-bond had formed, Kaname had felt the hunter in his veins, in his thoughts, in his dreams... it was a precarious situation, brought about by a chain of maliciously orchestrated events, but they would have to learn to deal with it eventually. Now, however... now they just needed to survive.

Kaname began running through options in his mind. It was unlikely that the noble would have had enough time or resources to lay explosives throughout the _entire_ building. Far more likely that he had only laid charges along the exterior supporting walls, enough to weaken the structure critically and make the building collapse in on itself... if he and Zero could get to the centre of the upper floor of the building before the explosion, there would be a much better chance of them living through it, as he would be able to use his kinetic powers to stave off the worst of the falling rubble and they would be able to pick their way through the remainder afterwards.

Deciding that it would indeed be the best course of action, he turned towards Zero.

"Let's go. We need to get as high as possible, as fast as possible. Bring the detonator, it should let us know when the blast is coming and give us a give us a moment to prepare for the impact."

The hunter nodded, scooping the device off the floor, then followed Kaname out through the cell door, which the assassin had carelessly but fortunately left open. As they got clear of the small room though, Zero asked the same question that had been plaguing Kaname since he'd come up with his plan.

"What happens if it goes off before we get to where we need to be?"

Kaname kept his voice reassuringly light.

"Then we do what we can in the time we have."

They continued in silence for a while, as they made it up the stairs and reached the ground floor lobby.

Kaname would have liked to push the pace a bit more, but despite Zero's earlier assurance that he was fine, Kaname could still smell fresh blood, and the way the hunter was gasping with exertion already told him the assassin's knife had done damage to a lung.

They had just spotted a second staircase towards the back of the room and were heading for it, when there was a sudden, urgent beeping from the detonator. Freezing in his tracks, Kaname looked back at Zero. Switching to mind-speech as it was faster and more efficient, he issued a command.

- 'Zero! Get down now!'

The hunter was in no mood to argue, and dived instantly to the floor. He was both surprised and slightly uncomfortable when Kaname lay down on top of him, the warm, well-defined lines of the pureblood's chest pressing against his back. Despite the danger they were in, Zero couldn't help recalling that time in the forest, Kaname's mouth exploring his throat even as Zero's own hands mapped the pureblood's spine... that line of thought was both distinctly unhelpful and deeply mortifying though, and Zero was profoundly grateful that he was facing down and thus able to hide the slight flush which suffused his cheeks at the close contact. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Kaname spoke near his ear.

"Brace yourself, this isn't going to be easy..."

The pureblood had barely finished speaking when a deep, rumbling bang echoed around them. Scorching heat enveloped them both, and then the upper level of the building gave way, large chunks of masonry tumbling free and threatening to land on top of them. Kaname began using his power to deflect the debris before it could land. There was far too much heat and noise for him to be able to concentrate on gathering thousands of air molecules into a strong enough shield to protect them both, so he had to settle for the more primitive approach of working with the concrete itself. Of course, it was difficult to catch _all_ the falling rubble; one large piece almost clipped Zero's head before Kaname blasted it aside. The pureblood was tiring fast, the heat was stifling, the smoke and dust making it hard to see and even harder to breathe. Already he had dozens of small cuts from the airborne masonry. They healed instantly, but stung nonetheless, each of them taking a small part of his concentration with it. Another piece narrowly missed them as Kaname flung it to one side, but in its wake another, heavier block of concrete went unnoticed, crashing down on Kaname's leg.

Already concerned by the scent of Kaname's blood in the air, Zero felt the pureblood suddenly tense in pain, stifling a scream, and then go limp. Shaking him slightly, not wanting to be too rough in case he was badly injured, Zero tried to wake him.

'-Kaname? Kaname...!'

There was no answer, mental or otherwise. Without Kaname's kinetic protection, they were soon plunged into complete darkness as the rubble settled on top of them, blocking out all light. Luckily, it seemed the worst was over, more choking dust and small particles were coming down on them now than larger, more dangerous materials, and the rumbling eventually died down, leaving both of them in silent shadows.

Zero was aware for a while longer, but exhaustion eventually claimed him, and he lost consciousness almost gratefully.

x--x--x

Kaname awoke slowly, his senses coming alive one at a time. Sight was first, but it was unhelpful. All he could see was darkness, even with his enhanced vision. He couldn't hear anything much either, except the soft sounds of shifting dust and settling grit. Smell worried him... there was smoke, dust again, and... Zero? Touch was the last sense to return, and although it brought the most information, it also delivered a wave of agony from his right leg, so intense that he almost blacked out again, his breathing reduced to small, panting almost-whimpers. He was lying on top of Zero, that much became clear, and as it did, the rest of his memories fell back into place. Immediate alarm coursed through him at the hunter's unmoving state, especially considering his previous injury. Not wanting to speak aloud just yet lest it betray his own pain, he let a gentle thought touch Zero's mind.

-'Zero? Are you okay?'

It seemed that Zero had just been sleeping lightly because the answer was near instantaneous.

- 'I'm fine. But you're badly injured, I can tell...'

Kaname brushed that thought aside immediately.

-'Never mind that. We need to get out of here. I'm going to lift some of the rubble off us, give us more room to move.'

As the debris cleared, sight returned. They now lay in a small, clear space open to the night sky. Kaname attempted to push himself up, but his leg screamed agony at him. He realized it had been trapped under a rather large chunk of masonry and the bones were quite literally crushed. Without fresh blood, such a severe injury would take even a pureblood quite a few hours to heal – hours they didn't have. Of course, Kaname was aware that Zero was right there, just the thought of his tempting, delicious blood making Kaname's jaw ache... but the pureblood had too much pride to beg for blood from his bondmate. Kaname had endured a lot of pain in his life, he would deal with this too. He tried to rise again, and once more he was forced to stay down.

Zero noticed Kaname's struggle, and asked what was wrong. Knowing it was useless to deny it, but hating the admission anyway, Kaname told him about the leg. Zero slowly inched sideways, until he was out from under Kaname, then proceeded to help Kaname stand, not saying anything, just silently offering assistance. Keeping the pureblood's arm around his shoulders to support him, Zero asked a soft question.

"Are you sure you can walk?"

Kaname nodded, and Zero took a shuffling step forward, but even that slight motion sent unbearable pain shooting through Kaname's nerves. Seeing this, Zero eased Kaname down against a half-section of wall which had escaped the worst of the damage, trying hard not to notice the body heat radiating between them or the way the pureblood's breaths skated hotly across the skin of his shoulder. His voice was rough from the smoke inhalation, but it came out sounding unintentionally husky and inviting as he addressed Kaname.

"You need blood to heal that break..."

Despite his reservations about asking Zero for blood, Kaname had no qualms about taking it if it was offered, so he pulled Zero down, making the hunter kneel in front of him as he allowed his mouth to travel up Zero's tempting jugular, suckling deceptively gently on the skin to prepare it before suddenly sinking his fangs deep, wringing a shuddering gasp from his bondmate as he drew the first mouthful of gloriously healing, sinfully delicious blood.

Zero tensed at the initial bite, every nerve ending seeming to light up with fiery ecstasy in the wake of Kaname's fangs, before giving in completely to the incredibly intense sensations washing through him.

Both of them had severely underestimated the power of any form of blood-sharing between double-bonded vampires. It was a thousand times what it had been that first time in the forest... this was just... _more_ than either of them had felt before. It seemed to be beyond intimacy, a transcendental pleasure, as they gave themselves to this fiercely instinctual dance, torn shirts riding up, exposed sweat-streaked skin sliding sinuously against each other, sacrificing all conscious thought to the unexpected heat of the moment.

Kaname was losing his grip on sanity, he was sure of it. Nothing should feel _this_ good... his mind seemed to disengage from his body as his savage side took delight in the warm, sultry feeling of Zero's velvety blood slipping down his throat, feeding his dark hunger and healing the break. His drinking slowed once he felt the bones completely re-knit themselves. He lifted his head, still partially dazed by the pleasure-soaked sensations chasing through his veins. Gradually though, he became aware that he was moving in a most... _compromising_ way against Zero's half-naked chest, and he froze immediately. The hunter's eyes were half-lidded, his lungs heaving as he hovered over Kaname, with his hands braced on the wall either side of Kaname's head. Slowly, he too seemed to come back to himself, and an awkward shuffle ensued as they both tried to get up at the same time. Zero's face was deeply flushed, and he kept his eyes on the ground. Kaname cleared his throat softly.

"Thank you."

Zero nodded, but said nothing, so Kaname took the initiative once more.

"We should go – this part of town seems deserted, but there's always a chance someone will have alerted the authorities."

They walked on, not speaking, Kaname having recovered his usual fluidly graceful movement and Zero keeping a steady pace behind him.

Once they were at a safe distance, they stopped to consider their next move. Zero would have suggested they flag down another passing motorist, but this time their clothing was singed, torn and obviously bloody, meaning anyone they tried to stop would most likely run them over thinking they were escaped murderers or something.

Eventually they had to resort to hiding in an alley near a payphone, hoping someone would make a call. They got lucky – about half an hour later, an elderly woman arrived to use the phone.

Feeling like a common thug, but knowing it was necessary, Kaname silently came up behind the woman, using his power to put her to sleep just as she was about to dial the number. Making sure he wouldn't be seen, he carried her into the alley while Zero cancelled her call and made one of his own.

They settled down in an inconspicuous doorway to wait, both hardly daring to believe that they might soon be able to return to their normal lives – and to Yuuki.

x--x--x

Yuuki was feeling a little better after her lengthy conversation with Ichijo. The green-eyed vampire had knocked on her door some time earlier, accompanied by Senri Shiki. The bored-looking noble had left soon afterwards, and she had spent the rest of the time talking to Ichijo.

She had always liked the vice-president of the night class – he always seemed friendly and eager to help, and she found him very easy to speak to – even easier than the chairman. Somehow, it felt like they were already close friends, and soon she had been telling him how bad she had felt for thinking of choosing between Kaname and Zero only to lose them both. That line of discussion had made the tears fall again, and he had put a friendly hand on her shoulder and comforted her as she cried.

Then, in whispers, he had confided in her and admitted to how guilty he felt for not being there when Kaname had needed him the most... how he feared he had betrayed Kaname's trust and friendship by not preventing his disappearance. Tears had been shining in his eyes by that time, and she had told him it was okay to cry – then comforted him in turn as he had shed silent tears for the loss of his friend.

Hours passed, and they had still been chatting when the chairman burst into the room. Both of them looked up fearfully, expecting the worst... but when the chairman smiled, they knew it was good news.

His eyes, which had been looking dull and lifeless lately, seemed to regain some of their mischievous sparkle as he spoke.

"We found them, and they're fine."


	16. Secret Facets, Hidden Truths

Chairman Cross himself had arrived to pick them up.

Of course, Ichijo and Yuuki were all for accompanying him, but he'd made it clear that they were needed at the academy, and that the time for reunions would be later. Zero and Kaname could not arrive back at the same time, as Kaname was on a supposed business trip and Zero was meant to be recovering from a sudden illness in hospital. It had been the only way Cross could find to explain the hunter's non-attendance during term time, but it had also meant that for the duration of Zero's absence, Cross had to discreetly dispose of flowers and get-well-gifts sent by the girls in Zero's class. He wondered if the hunter knew how popular he was amongst the ladies despite his seemingly malevolent attitude… although he rather thought not. Zero was perpetually too wrapped up in his internal struggle to notice or care how others perceived him. Take Yuuki for example. He was so sure Zero had feelings for his fellow guardian beyond casual adopted-sibling affection, and although he was certain Yuuki would not reject Zero's advances, Zero consistently kept her at arm's length rather than making a definite move. He sighed and shook his head as he pulled up to the spot where he had been told to meet Zero and Kaname, still musing over the complications of raising children.

Although he had spoken to Zero over the phone earlier, he couldn't help the relief he felt when both the pureblood and the hunter emerged from the shadows and got into the car. Kaname got in the back, keeping the door open and obviously expecting Zero to do the same, but the silver-haired vampire chose to sit up front instead, muttering about egotistical purebloods who expected rescuers to be chauffeurs as well. Cross raised an eyebrow when instead of making a scathing comment, Kaname just smiled wryly. _How odd_. Perhaps the relief of being freed was making the pureblood softer than usual.

As Cross pulled away, he explained their next move. He had brought fresh clothing for both of them, and booked rooms in a nearby hotel. The plan was that they would stay there for a day or two, taking time to rest while the chairman would ferry Yuuki and the members of the Night Class who knew the real reason behind Kaname's disappearance to see them, so that nobody would overreact and give the game away once they got back to the academy. Then, Kaname would return to the school while Zero would stay a day longer to avoid suspicion before arriving, having "recovered" from his illness.

Zero had to acknowledge, it was an impressive piece of planning for such short notice. Sometimes, he thought there was a side of the chairman that was carefully hidden for the most part… a highly efficient, vastly intelligent side that Zero found himself admiring. He shook his head slightly, not believing he had just admitted to himself that his self-proclaimed adoptive father may have favourable qualities after all.

They drove on in silence until they reached the hotel, Cross handing them each one of his own overcoats to disguise their gory appearance. He then proceeded to the check-in desk, collecting two sets of keys and leading the way to their rooms. Handing each of them a bag of clothing, the chairman took his leave, saying he'd return the next evening with visitors.

Zero and Kaname exchanged a glance before entering their rooms, a kind of silent acknowledgement of thanks. It only lasted a moment, but it was long enough to convey the message. Without another word, they both unlocked their rooms and went inside.

Zero found the accommodations to be modest but comfortable, two rooms next to each other on the fourth floor. Throwing his bag down on the bed, he collapsed onto it himself, just wanting to rest for a while before he went to take the longest shower in the history of mankind. As he lay there staring at the ceiling, he couldn't help thinking back over the events of the last few hours. It seemed so surreal somehow, Ichiru's death, battling the evil noble, the narrow escape from the explosion…

With a small start, Zero realized he and Kaname had both saved each other's lives tonight - more than once. Kaname had killed the assassin when it looked as if Zero might lose the fight, and had protected him from the explosion. Zero had been able to evade the mind-control and attack the assassin before he could carry out his sadistic plot, and had given Kaname blood when he needed it most. If someone had told him a month ago that he would be risking his life to save Kaname, or that the reverse would also be true, he would have laughed in their face, yet now, all of that had happened.

That and… _other things_.

Before his thoughts could travel any further down that path, he decided it was time for that shower.

x--x--x

It was growing light outside, and Yuuki still hadn't slept a wink as she waited impatiently in the chairman's residence for him to return. She understood why he wasn't going to bring Zero or Kaname back with him, but that didn't make it any easier to bear. She knew they were okay, but the urge to see for herself was almost overwhelming. She heard shuffling near the door, and jumped up, running into the entrance hall just in time to see the chairman close the door behind him and hang up his coat.

"Did you see them? Are you sure they're all right? I mean, they're not hurt or anything?"

Cross smiled fondly. Ah, this girl was a treasure indeed, such a kind soul with a big heart.

"Yuuki, they really are fine. A little tired and roughed up, but that's all. I promise you can go see both of them tomorrow evening, just give them a while to rest."

Yuuki nodded. The chairman put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly.

"Well now, how about some tea?"

x--x--x

The hot water had done wonders for both Zero's aching body and restless mind. Feeling better than he had in days, he wandered back into his room to change. Unzipping the bag, he began searching for something to wear, only to find a note tucked in between the clothes. He recognized the handwriting at once, and it made warm fingers seem to curl around his heart.

--

_Zero,_

_I don't have much time - the chairman wants these clothes packed in five minutes, but I just had to slip in this note._

_I'm really glad you're okay… I've missed you so much, and I've been thinking about you every day, hoping you would come back soon._

--

There was a part which was obscured by much scratching over with the pen, but Zero could still vaguely make out the words…

--

_I couldn't help thinking it had something to do with what happened_

--

… Then, the note continued normally:

--

_When the chairman said you were both fine I was so happy! Please tell Kaname I've missed him too, and I will visit you two as soon as I can._

_Can't wait to see you again,_

_Yuuki_

Zero clutched the paper tightly, his heart aching suddenly. Despite the fact that the note was not written just for him, it still meant the world. Folding it carefully, he tucked it into the side pocket of the bag before resuming his search for clothes.

As soon as he was dressed, he decided to go downstairs and find something to eat. He was absolutely ravenous, having not eaten in days. Locking his door behind him, he started down the passage towards the elevators, but something made him pause. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at his nagging sense of indebtedness, he turned back and knocked softly on Kaname's door.

It opened almost immediately, and it was apparent from Kaname's clean, neat clothes that he had also taken the opportunity to shower. He looked at Zero in slight alarm, obviously thinking there was something wrong.

"Zero?"

Zero tried to ignore the fact that right now, fresh out of the shower, the pureblood smelled more tempting than a hundred gourmet dinners.

"I… I was going to go find something to eat. If you're hungry…"

Kaname nodded.

"Yes, I'll go with you."

Zero almost raised an eyebrow at that. He had originally been intending to offer to bring something back for the pureblood, figuring Kuran probably had no experience with food that wasn't delivered on a silver platter - and he was about to say so. On second thought, however, Zero wasn't completely averse to having some company over dinner, even if it was Kaname, so he remained silent as the pureblood joined him in the hall and they made their way downstairs.

x--x--x

Kaname was touched. The fact that Zero had thought of him at all was surprising… and quite appreciated. In actual fact, Kaname had been on his way to find food himself - the hotel offered an all-night buffet, but there was no room service this late.

As they rounded the corner heading towards the stairs, Kaname contemplated the silent, silver-haired vampire walking slightly ahead of him. He had never really _hated_ Zero. He had resented him for his closeness to Yuuki, but he never seemed to harbour the same amount of dislike towards Zero as the other boy held towards him. Perhaps it was because deep down, he pitied the hunter. To have been turned into the one thing he hated the most - the thing he had been trained to fight against from a very young age - could not have been easy. And losing his family that way… well, Kaname could sympathise.

Arriving in the lobby, they headed off towards the restaurant area. After they had helped themselves to the somewhat limited variety of food on offer, they sat down at a table to eat. Kaname noticed Zero eying him enquiringly as he took the first bite of his food. The pureblood was faintly mirthful at the genuinely curious expression on the hunter's face, and couldn't help asking after the cause.

"Was there something you wanted to know?"

Zero seemed to snap out of whatever thoughts he was having, quickly replacing the inquisitive look with a scowl.

"No."

Zero looked away, annoyed at having been caught staring. He had actually been wondering about pureblood vampires and food. He knew noble-class vampires ate normal food in addition to drinking blood, but he had been curious as to whether Kaname really needed to eat food, or if the other vampire was just humouring him. Did food provide nutrients necessary for the pureblood's body to function? Or was it just for the enjoyment of the taste? Zero was acutely aware of how little he really knew about vampires aside from how to kill them, and he didn't want to parade that fact in front of Kaname. The last thing he needed was for the pureblood to begin acting all condescending… he realised Kaname was smiling, and had been for some time.

"What?"

Amusing as it was to taunt the hunter, Kaname supposed he should come clean.

"I can hear what you're thinking."

Zero's eyes widened in shock. _What the hell does he mean by that?_

Kaname's voice intruded in his mind.

'When you aren't concentrating, your mind tends to broadcast your thoughts across the bond.'

Zero said nothing, but Kaname could see he was shaken by the revelation. Kaname spoke aloud this time, reasoning it would be less offensive to the hunter.

"I can help you to control that, if you wish. Once we get back."

A curt nod was the only reply before Zero returned his attention to his plate. Kaname decided it would be best not to push the matter further, and minutes passed in silence.

It came as a surprise, therefore, when Zero suddenly spoke.

"So, do you?"

Kaname was confused, and it showed, so Zero clarified.

"Need food to survive, I mean."

Kaname replaced his fork on the plate, looking at Zero.

"I can get by without it for much longer than other vampires, but only if I have blood. Food is necessary occasionally, especially after injury or stress. It complements the nutrition found in blood, although - as I'm sure you know - the two don't really compare."

After that, they had started just… talking. About trivial things mostly, but it signalled a kind of truce between them, and for the first time, Zero actually began to feel almost… _relaxed_ in Kaname's presence.

x--x--x

Once they had eaten, both vampires headed back to their rooms. The sun had risen some time ago, and although Zero didn't usually keep the same nocturnal schedule as other vampires, he really needed some sleep.

Stretching out on the bed was pleasantly restful and a few minutes later, he let sleep drag him down into its peaceful depths.

When he finally woke, he felt refreshed although there was something tugging at his senses, making him edgy and tense. Absently, he rubbed at his chest, where it was beginning to throb dully… and then he realised what was troubling him.

_Great. Just freaking great._

He figured he should have been expecting it after giving his blood to Kaname on top of the injury the noble's knife had left him with - especially since he hadn't had blood for a while prior to that - but that didn't make it any easier to deal with.

At least the thirst was still more of an annoying ache, not the fully-fledged pain which it would eventually become. He would probably be able to safely ignore it for a couple of days, but after that…

"…_we're bonded now… __no other blood can completely slake your thirst but mine__."_

Despite their newfound camaraderie, Zero shuddered at the mere thought of approaching Kaname, recalling how both of them seemed to completely lose all sense of decency and restraint the instant blood became involved… a fact which made Zero manifestly uncomfortable.

Why did his life have to be so _complicated_?

Before he got much further in his ruminations, the phone the chairman had left with him started ringing.

It was Cross, saying that he'd be bringing Yuuki by to visit in just a few minutes, as soon as they had escorted the night class to the school building.

Zero found it oddly endearing that the chairman would help Yuuki to do her duties in his absence, and decided the man must have untold depths after all.

Replacing the phone on the nightstand, Zero got up. He would have to go and tell Kaname, but he wasn't exactly keen on that idea. Being anywhere near the pureblood right now was inadvisable to say the least. Then again… perhaps he didn't have to actually be _near_ Kaname to tell him… hesitantly, he reached his mind along the bond.

'Hey, Kuran!'

The reply was not immediate, and he sensed faint irritation from Kaname's side of the bond before it came.

'Yes, _Kiriyu_. What is it?'

Zero did not miss the inflection, and it was satisfying to know he had found the right button to push to irritate the pureblood. Anything to impose distance between them was a good thing. He hoped that Kaname would be too exasperated to pay him much attention, because if the pureblood examined the bond too closely he would surely pick up on Zero's hunger. Carefully angling his thought to be dismissive and cold, he delivered the message.

'Yuuki will be here soon. Get ready.'

x--x--x

Yuuki walked briskly into the hotel, barely able to keep her anticipation in check. It would be so good to see them again - she had really missed Kaname's warm greetings on his way to class, and Zero's gruff exterior which hid the shining soul beneath. Tonight, she put aside all her worries about the future, about having to choose, and focused instead on having both of them back in her life.

"Hurry _up_!" she called impatiently to the chairman, who was lagging behind. He smiled warmly at her.

"Why don't you go and fetch them. I'll be waiting for all of you here in the lounge."

She realized that he was doing this to give her time alone with Zero and Kaname if she wanted it. She gazed at him fondly for his understanding before rushing off.

_403, 404, 405… _eventually she reached her destination. She wasn't sure which room she should enter first… but then her dilemma was solved by one of the doors opening and Zero walking out. Before she could stop herself, she had crossed the distance between them, leaping up to embrace a rather startled Zero. He caught her around her waist to stop her from falling, their momentum turning them around in a semi-circle.

In that moment, Kaname had emerged from his room. He locked eyes with Zero, who was now facing towards him, and the sincere longing and anguish that was barely concealed in those burgundy depths shot straight to Zero's heart, the pureblood's distress echoing clearly through the bond. Zero put Yuuki down immediately, realizing what it must look like with her tangled around him like that.

She hadn't heard Kaname opening his door, so she mistook Zero's sudden change in demeanour for reluctance.

"Zero?"

Her question snapped his attention away from Kaname and back to her. He took hold of her shoulders gently, turning her around so she could see the pureblood framed in the doorway. She went to him immediately, giving him a rather more restrained hug which nevertheless made her blush furiously.

"Yuuki."

Kaname's voice was warm and soft with emotion, a tone he never used with anyone but her. Zero noted how his whole character seemed to change. He handled Yuuki as if she were made of glass, speaking gently as he asked how she had been, using only the lightest touches. He'd never looked at it objectively before, but it was obvious that Kaname would sooner die than bring Yuuki harm. Inwardly, he was rather amused. _The savage beast tamed by a little girl_. Kaname's warning glance told Zero he was unintentionally broadcasting his thoughts again, and he focused on shutting the connection off.

Yuuki stepped back from Kaname, her cheeks still appealingly flushed.

"Um… the chairman is waiting for us downstairs…"

She began walking down the passage, and they followed her. Zero seized the chance to send a thought towards Kaname.

'She doesn't need to know about the bond. Nobody does. So keep that detail to yourself.'

Kaname gave him a withering glare before replying.

'I shouldn't worry, Kiriyu. It's not as if I would want to admit I'm bound to an _ex-human_ either.'

They arrived in the lounge, and took seats around the room. Zero made sure to try and sit as far as possible from Kaname, but that plan was foiled when Yuuki beckoned them over to sit on either side of her on a long couch. Zero couldn't really refuse her request, considering the circumstances, so he merely frowned before sitting down.

"Well," the chairman began, "let's hear it. What happened?"

Zero and Kaname explained their respective abductions, carefully glossing over the real reason for their vulnerability when they were taken. Kaname said they had both been tranquillised after they were talking in the forest, and Zero was silently grateful for the pureblood's quick thinking.

Time passed, and they reached the explanation of Zero's escape from Ichiru. Zero had been dreading talking about this part, so he too tried to skip over the details of what had happened, making it sound like he just had a lucky break. The chairman's anxious nature soon got in the way of that plan though.

"But Zero, how can we be sure he won't come back for you? We will have to keep you hidden…"

"There's no need, he won't come after me again."

Cross looked at him in surprise.

"How can you be so sure? If he wants revenge…"

Zero took a deep breath. He was out of options, the truth was the only way out.

"He's dead, okay? That's how I know."

Everyone looked shocked, Kaname especially, although he did a better job of hiding it. The chairman, in his usual style, refused to let go of a point.

"Are you sure?"

Zero's hands were starting to shake. He really, _really _did not want to relive those moments.

"I'm sure."

It looked like Cross might question him further, but Yuuki had picked up on Zero's distress and headed him off with a stern glance. The atmosphere had soured somewhat though, and it wasn't long before Yuuki began saying they should be getting back. The chairman went to wait in the car while Yuuki said goodbye. It had been arranged that Kaname would return to the academy the next night, while Zero would arrive a day later.

As Yuuki walked out of the hotel towards the chairman's car, she smiled.

She couldn't wait.

x--x--x

Once Yuuki was gone, Zero strode out of the lounge, not wanting to spend a minute longer than necessary in the presence of Kaname's devilishly tempting scent. Of course, the pureblood wasn't about to give up, and followed him back upstairs.

"Leave me alone, Kuran. I'm warning you."

Kaname ignored him, dogging his steps.

"You can't run from me, Zero. I know what you need."

"Yeah? Then you should know that I need to get away from _you_!"

They reached their rooms, and Zero headed straight inside in a last ditch attempt to escape.

Kaname followed him before he could prevent it though, closing the door behind them before turning to face him.

The hunter still refused to look at him, occupying his gaze instead with the faded wallpaper, while keeping his arms folded across his chest in a defiant "go away" gesture. It was quite entertaining, how hard Zero was trying to keep up the façade.

Kaname had known what the hunter's problem was since Zero had woken up earlier. The bond had woken him too, the spot where Zero had bitten him suddenly aching. He had been about to go next door and offer Zero his blood, when he had once again started picking up Zero's stray thoughts. It had soon become clear that Zero would rather face starvation than ask him for blood, and that was frustrating in itself; but to add insult to injury, the hunter seriously thought Kaname could be warded off by a few acerbic comments. They needed each other to survive now - that was the flagrant truth. It was patently unhelpful to try and deny it, and it would only lead to the situation getting worse. No, Kaname was not going to let Zero off that easily. His bondmate was going to drink - one way or another. Firm in his decision, he addressed the guardian.

"You've been avoiding me because you're hungry."

Zero gave a soft snort.

"You're imagining things."

Kaname took a step closer.

"Oh? Then you don't want my blood?"

The hunter shook his head firmly, but failed to hide the small flinch at the word _blood_. Kaname took another step, determined to make the other vampire admit to his thirst.

"You aren't tempted at all when you think of the flavour? The texture? You don't long for the warmth of it filling your mouth and your senses, the way it glides silkily down your throat…"

"Stop it! _Damn you_ Kuran! Stop this right now! Get out!"

Kaname knew the hunter was close to breaking. His nonchalant stance couldn't disguise the way his frame was trembling as he fought against his nature. He therefore ignored Zero's injunction, advancing once more, and continuing his enticing speech.

"You want my blood, Zero. I know you do. You've been craving it constantly since that first taste, and you're still craving it now. You cannot deny it, the bond screams to me of your hunger…"

Zero was on the verge of losing his internal struggle, pale lilac darkening to vivid scarlet as his eyes betrayed him. Kaname could see the points of the hunter's fangs pressing seductively into his lower lip… _Oh for those same fangs to sink deeply into my throat…_ but that was dangerous territory. Kaname wasn't entirely sure he should have started this little game. His own instincts were beginning to clamour at him, longing for the feeling of Zero's intoxicating bite.

Proving far stronger than Kaname had anticipated, however, Zero's eyes faded back to their lavender hue as he forcefully subdued his vampiric urges. Kaname was half-impressed, half-disappointed that Zero's control was so strong. Then again, as he had once admitted to Chairman Cross, Zero's willpower was incredible. To be able to fight his rising bloodlust for four years before giving in to it had been no mean feat. Not for the first time, the pureblood found himself admiring Zero's tenacity. Nevertheless, that same obstinacy was going to cost the hunter everything in the end if he didn't reconcile his disparate selves. Zero had no idea of the danger he was putting himself in by denying his nature. Kaname's voice turned serious.

"You need to accept your vampire side Zero. I can help you do that. You are one of us now, and that isn't going to change."

The bitterness in Zero's voice was painfully apparent.

"Yeah, because I'm sure you think it's fun being a monstrous, bloodsucking freak!"

Kaname disregarded the implications of that statement, knowing he needed to stay calm to get through to the hunter.

"If you do not, then not even my blood can save you from Level E… your vampire side will eventually take over your body completely, and you will watch, a helpless prisoner to your savage nature, as you kill merely for the sake of killing. Would you want that on your conscience Zero? Knowing you could have prevented it?"

Zero's eyes registered shock at Kaname's words, but it was soon replaced by resentment and anger.

"So? Why do you care?"

It was a tactic designed to divert his attention from the current issue, but Kaname saw straight through it.

"I care, Zero, because you are important to Yuuki and I would not want her to see you like that."

_Important to Yuuki… and important to __**me**__._

Kaname wasn't entirely sure exactly when his feelings towards his reluctant bondmate had changed. True, in some measure the bond itself was responsible, but he would be lying to himself if he tried to lay all the blame on their connection. Perhaps it was everything they'd been through together these past few days - risking their lives to save each other despite their original differences. Or maybe it was because now that Kaname had been working closely with the hunter he was slowly beginning to see why Yuuki cherished the silver-haired vampire so much. Zero was strong, resilient and courageous. He was also stubborn, bad-tempered and conflicted, but all that just added to his unique appeal. To see such a powerful, independent spirit crushed by madness would be a terrible thing indeed… but Kaname knew that ultimately, it was Zero's decision. He could force the hunter to drink, but Zero still had to consciously choose to acknowledge his nature.

The silence stretched on, and for a moment it looked like perhaps Zero would at the very least accept Kaname's offer of blood, but after a while the silver head turned away, staring out of the window instead.

Kaname walked back to the door, but paused with his hand on the knob. His voice was a low whisper; still clearly audible to Zero's enhanced hearing.

"Very well. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me."

x--x--x

As the night wore on, Zero's thirst was getting worse. He'd taken to pacing the room now, hoping to vent some of his restless energy, but it was no use. Only one thing would temper the fiery need rising in his veins… and that thing was so close… just a few steps away.

The room was in complete darkness, but Zero had no trouble seeing it in perfect detail, a fact that told him his eyes were glowing scarlet and had been for some time.

He'd been thinking about what Kaname had said, and he knew there was truth to it. Every time he suppressed his bloodlust, he felt the impending madness closing on him. At times, his mind would blank for a few moments… his reasoning erased by the beast within. It was only a matter of time before he lost the struggle with himself and became a feral predator. Kaname's blood had helped stave off that final descent, but apparently it wouldn't last indefinitely… unless…

Unless he surrendered.

He really wanted to believe that it would be that simple - just give in, accept the creature he'd become, and everything would be over. The constant torment, the self-loathing, the fear of what lay within him.

Zero knew though, that if he allowed himself to do that, he would be sacrificing the last part of him that was purely _human _- not hunter, not vampire, but untainted by the supernatural - and he was unsure whether he was ready do that. For so long he'd held onto that last vestige, and he was loath to let it go. Then again, it could be argued that ever since Shizuka's fangs had pierced him, it had been fated to be lost sooner or later. He put his head in his hands, trying to make sense of his jumbled thoughts.

Another hour passed in silence, the boy wrestling his demons alone in the dark. Eventually, he thought once more of what surrender would cost him, but this time, he realized he was willing to pay the price.

His footfalls were muffled by the carpet as he headed for the door, but to the pureblood in the next room - who had been waiting for them - they seemed to echo in the stillness.


	17. Feed The Fire, Fear The Flame

_**A/N: **A huge thank-you to YenGirl, who kindly offered to beta this for me!_

_A word of caution: This chapter contains a yaoi lemon._

* * *

Zero didn't bother to knock, already knowing on some deep level that Kaname would be expecting him. He pushed the door open to find the pureblood leaning casually against the window, his arms folded across his chest in a semblance of impatience.

The room was illuminated only by a small table lamp, Kaname's sensitive pureblood eyes preferring low light conditions, but after the darkness of Zero's own room, the light seemed overwhelming. He couldn't help noticing though how it cast a warm golden glow across Kaname's pale throat, as if highlighting its smooth perfection. Its unmarred expanse seemed to taunt him with its flawlessness, making his fangs ache.

Zero needed to get a grip. If he let his thoughts wander in that direction, he wouldn't be able to keep his composure long enough to question Kaname about their earlier discussion. Shutting the door with a quiet click, he leaned back against it, deliberately crossing his arms so that his stance looked equally impatient, hoping that would irritate the pureblood.

"So. You said you could help with this acceptance thing."

Kaname nodded slowly.

"Yes. I can help you to reconcile your separate halves... but it will take time, and in the end it's up to you. You have to be willing."

Zero frowned, still slightly unsure whether he was ready. Kaname picked up on his hesitation.

"Zero… if you don't do this, then everything you have fought for in the past few years will have been in vain. Why is it that you refuse to accept this part of yourself? You keep thinking vampires are nothing but soulless monsters, yet you know deep down that that isn't wholly true. You know it, because you love Yuuki - and that capacity to love is something you never thought vampires were capable of, so you delude yourself into thinking that it's false. It is a pointless deception; nothing but a waste of time and energy."

Kaname's words weighed heavily on Zero's mind. He knew every one of them was true… although he hadn't even admitted it to himself until now. Kaname's eyes seemed to peer right into Zero's soul as he spoke, making the hunter more uncomfortable still. Silence had fallen after Kaname's profound insights, and Zero knew he should speak up for himself… defend his choices… but he couldn't. The longer he thought about it, the more he realized that his constant self-loathing was doing more harm than good. Indeed - if he had accepted the fact that he was becoming a vampire earlier than he had, and learned to deal with his bloodlust, he would most likely not have attacked Yuuki that first time. He dropped his gaze in a wordless admission of defeat as yet more minutes ticked by. Eventually, a whisper escaped his lips.

"Tell me what to do."

Kaname uncrossed his arms, resting them against the windowsill on either side of his body.

"It's really very simple Zero. Just stop fighting your instincts."

Zero looked at Kaname sceptically. _Yeah, like it's that easy._ Zero's hatred of his vampire side was deep-rooted. It stemmed from various factors, not the least of which was the fact that a vampire had destroyed his family and ruined his destiny… and then there was his hunter training - _Vampires can never be anything but monsters - _it had been drilled into him over and over again as a boy. At first he'd had trouble believing it… but after the incident in which his Master lost an eye, Zero had seen firsthand that vampires were only capable of savagery. Shizuka's attack years later had confirmed that.

A grim smile appeared on Kaname's face, and Zero knew instantly that he'd been broadcasting his thoughts again.

"Your assessment of the entire vampire race is based on the actions of a Level E, and a vengeance-driven pureblood who was considered insane even by vampire standards. I hardly think that's fair."

"That's not true!"

"Isn't it?"

The pureblood's voice was soft and understanding. He tried to convey that he was not judging Zero, he was just pointing out the facts.

The hunter's glare intensified, but he said nothing, so Kaname continued.

"You are familiar with Newton's third law are you not?"

Zero made an indignant sound.

"What does physics have to do with anything?"

Kaname's gaze was inscrutable.

"Answer me."

"Fine." He put on a sing-song classroom voice as he answered. "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Happy now?"

Kaname ignored the sarcasm.

"So does it not occur to you that the harder you fight against your nature, the harder it will fight back?"

Zero opened his mouth to issue a retort, but the words died in his throat as the implications of Kaname's simple statement sank in. He'd never really though of it that way before… and now that he did, it started to make a lot of sense. Every time he grappled with his hunger, it grew worse. Whenever he turned every ounce of willpower towards not biting Yuuki, biting her would become the only thing on his mind until he inevitably gave in.

The slowly dawning look of comprehension on Zero's face told Kaname he'd gotten through to the silver-haired vampire. Zero spoke, a strange mix of admiration and disbelief in his voice.

"How… how did you come up with that?"

Kaname's answer came as a murmur.

"You're not the only one who has ever fought against what nature made them."

Perhaps it was the desolation and raw honesty in those whispered words, or the way the pureblood's eyes seemed to simmer with repressed emotion before they were lowered, but Zero suddenly found there was an ache in his chest that had nothing to do with his hunger. He realized that he'd never stopped to consider whether Kaname sometimes found it difficult to keep his instincts in check. He'd always assumed control came naturally to the pureblood, an assumption which was reinforced by Kaname's spotless record at the academy and the way he always acted so aloof and detached… but maybe… maybe that was just what he wanted everyone to think…

It was as if Zero really _saw_ Kaname for the first time. A pureblood, the ultimate predator… yet he _chose_ not to act that way. A newfound respect edged into Zero's estimation of the regal vampire. Perhaps they were more alike than he had initially thought.

"Kaname…" he began, but he wasn't sure how to continue, so he left it at that.

Soulful burgundy eyes lifted to meet his, a spark of amusement in them.

"You seem to be saying that a lot lately."

Zero shrugged, inwardly pleased to have pulled the pureblood out of his dark thoughts.

"Yeah. Don't get too used to it."

The casual banter broke the seriousness of the preceding moments and lightened the atmosphere somewhat. At least, until a breeze blew gently through the open window behind Kaname, wafting the pureblood's compelling scent towards Zero. The hunter's fangs were still fully extended, even if his thirst had been temporarily ignored, and Kaname's tempting fragrance sliced through his senses in an instant. The crimson luster in Zero's eyes intensified as he looked at Kaname. The way the pureblood was standing, leaning back nonchalantly against the windowsill with the collar of his shirt unbuttoned, exposing just the right amount of his pale throat… it was like an open invitation… when Kaname spoke, Zero tore his gaze away with difficulty to look at the pureblood's face instead.

"Was there something else you wanted?"

Kaname's voice was light, but Zero caught the undertone. It was hunger that had brought him here, and the restless, burning pain of it was still stabbing through his veins. It was obvious that Kaname knew this, and it seemed he was waiting for Zero to prove he was willing to accept his nature by admitting it. _Like hell._ There was no way he was openly going to _ask_ for blood… but then again, if it was just about showing that he was ready to acknowledge his instincts, there was really no need to speak, was there? The tension in the room grew thicker with each passing moment as Zero eventually gathered enough courage to take a step forward.

Kaname was watching him with interest, as if not quite sure whether he was bluffing or if he'd really go through with this. As he took another step, Zero started to gain confidence. His movements turned fluid, graceful… no longer merely walking, but almost _gilding_ over the floor, eyes intent on the delicious-looking neck of the pureblood across the room.

Kaname suppressed a sudden shiver of anticipation as the ex-human stalked towards him. Zero's eyes were ever-brightening pools of fire, his gaze fierce and predatory. Something in that sanguine stare called to Kaname, stirred the beast within him by whispering of power, blood and unmitigated desire. He knew he should probably stop Zero, adding blood to the mix when they were both keyed up like this would most likely lead to something they would regret later… and yet he made no move to check the hunter's progress across the carpet. He was so tired of always having to hold himself back, and the pull to give in to his bondmate's need for blood was undeniable. He decided the consequences could wait. Right at this moment, all he wanted to think about was Zero… Zero, who had closed the distance between them, and was now leaning over him, hands placed on the windowsill just outside Kaname's own, feet planted on either side of Kaname's crossed ankles. The pureblood met that scorching stare, suddenly hyperaware of Zero's closeness. Unexpectedly, unaccountably afraid of losing himself in that intense gaze, Kaname let his eyes slide shut, dark lashes soundlessly descending as he tilted his head back and to the side, giving Zero full access.

Zero's eyes roamed over the milky expanse of Kaname's throat, his enhanced vision picking out the large vein pulsing so temptingly in time with the pureblood's heartbeat. He had to admit, Kaname made a startlingly compelling sight like this, head canted back, dark hair spilling over his shoulders as he half-stood, half-lay against the windowsill, pale lips slightly parted … a faint flush crept into Zero's cheeks, and he was very glad Kaname wasn't able to see it. Gradually, he lowered his head to Kaname's neck, pausing just before his mouth made contact. For some reason, he was almost… shy. He had bitten Kaname before with no such compunction, but somehow this was different. He hadn't been forced or persuaded into drinking, he'd taken the decision himself; and now he wasn't so sure if he could go through with it.

Pulling himself from the rather distracting sensation of warm air skating across his throat, Kaname realized that something was wrong. Reaching for Zero through the bond, he felt the hesitation and uncertainty. It seemed that even though the hunter had finally taken the first step towards accepting himself, he still lacked the conviction to complete the process. Kaname was torn – he knew he should keep still and let Zero make his choice – but the hunter's panting breaths against the sensitive area at the base of his neck were driving him insane… he wanted to reach up, grab Zero's hair and tug at the silver strands, or maybe pull at the hunter's shirt… something, anything, to get Zero to close the remaining distance between them and bite him.

While Kaname was wracked with impatience, Zero was plagued by insecurities of his own. Every time he had taken blood before, it had been out of his hands. When he'd attacked Yuuki, it was extreme thirst that had taken momentary control of his body… the few times after that she had practically forced him to drink, and his steady descent to Level E had made him unable to decline what she so freely offered.

Now though, he was in full control of himself, and it made him feel like a predator. He'd stalked across the room like a tiger after prey, trapping Kaname against the window without a second thought. The pureblood hadn't actually asked him to drink, Zero had just taken Kaname's veiled hint as an open invitation, but now Kaname lay perfectly motionless, eyes still closed, making it impossible for Zero to gauge his disposition. Tentatively sending his mind along the bond, the hunter picked up on Kaname's edginess. Without knowing the thought process behind it, Zero could only come to the conclusion that Kaname was in a hurry to get this over with, and the hunter began to feel that perhaps _he_ was the one forcing Kaname this time, and it was an unsettling realization. He felt like such a… well, a _vampire._ Panicked, he began to pull back, thinking he'd made a terrible mistake.

The pureblood may have been prepared to lie still while Zero decided himself, but when he sensed the space between them growing, his eyes snapped open. _Enough was enough._ One hand left the windowsill, catching the hunter's wrist just before it moved out of reach.

No words were necessary – the meaning behind the restraining action was clear. Kaname wasn't going to let Zero go until he drank. With a slight start, Zero realized that he'd been mistaken before - Kaname wasn't anxious to get rid of him, he was anxious to share blood again. Although Zero's recall of the last time was slightly hazed by the trauma of the explosion and the blood loss, he still remembered vague flashes of sensation, Kaname's mouth locked insistently on the base of his throat, tongue urgently lapping at the tingling bite wounds, the headlong rush into blissful oblivion as Zero's warm, life-giving blood left him to nourish Kaname. Despite anything else, he had to admit it had felt incredible. It was, therefore, understandable that Kaname would look forward to recapturing those sensations, even if their roles were reversed this time, but that rationale did little to ease Zero's discomfiture with the situation. His hunger, however, was rising – and that was fast proving to be the deciding factor. Returning to his earlier position, he leaned in to Kaname's throat again.

Although he had been reassured by Kaname's actions, Zero still didn't want it to seem like he was _attacking_ the pureblood, so he took the time to prepare the target area thoroughly, tracing over the vein experimentally with his tongue, somehow knowing this would encourage the release of endorphins in his bondmate, the feel-good chemicals that would help lessen the pain of the bite itself. He meant it as a platonic gesture of friendship and care, but when Kaname gasped and a small shudder ran through the flesh under Zero's mouth at the contact, he couldn't stop the heated shiver that traced down his own spine in response to his mate's pleasure. Continuing his eager exploration, he was rewarded by Kaname's hands leaving the windowsill to grasp at the front of his shirt instead, drawing him closer in a silent entreaty.

Kaname clung to Zero tightly, feeling like he might pass out from the intensity of the hunter's urgent mouthing and the delightfully teasing promise of teeth against his vein… it was pathetic that it should affect him this much, but the neck was a naturally sensitive and erogenous zone for vampires, and the combination of silky lips, velvet tongue and sharp teeth was driving him to distraction. Kaname flung a careless thought across the bond, in a desperate, pleading tone which would have embarrassed him deeply had he been in full control of himself.

'Zero…please, do it now…'

The ex-human's eager ministrations suddenly ceased, and Kaname felt the razor points of Zero's fully extended fangs pressing intimately against his throbbing pulse. _Yes… _Kaname's entire body tensed in anticipation as Zero began applying pressure. After what felt like ages, the skin finally gave way, Zero's teeth sinking deep in a smooth, fluid motion. Kaname felt liquid warmth seep over the wound as his blood welled up around the hunter's fangs. Zero hissed in pleasure as the intoxicating, addictive taste of dark spice and raw power flooded his system, and that simple sound was enough to make Kaname's legs go weak, the pureblood's body slowly sliding down the wall under the window and taking Zero with him.

Kaname's resistances were already low from the prolonged anticipation, and the incredible sensation of feeding his bondmate was threatening to erase reason completely. The pureblood's control over his powers slipped for a moment as he lost himself in the pleasure of Zero's bite. The curtains swayed wildly as Kaname's power escaped, cupboard doors rattling and chairs shifting in the wake of the telekinetic surge. Both vampires ignored the phenomena, too wrapped up in the heat of the moment to notice or care. The bulb in the single lamp shattered, plunging them into semi-darkness broken only by the surreal, milky light of the moon streaming in from the window above them and picking them out amongst the shadows on the floor.

This was a hellish heaven, or a heavenly hell… Kaname couldn't decide which. He was trapped on the floor at the foot of the wall, Zero's arms caging him possessively as the hunter knelt over him, taking his blood with a ruthless single-minded fixation that nevertheless made Kaname's pulse race with heat. His fingers tightened in the fabric of Zero's shirt, nails lengthening slightly into claws and ripping through the material as he resisted the animalistic urge to claim his mate. Vampire bonding was a complex process. When any bond was created willingly, he knew it triggered certain hormone responses between bondmates. It was a physiological adaptation which ensured mates were more likely to remain faithful to each other. He understood that a double-bond would be no exception, and thought he would be prepared for it, but the intensity of the need coursing through him right now was not tempered in the slightest by the knowledge of its chemical origin. If Zero didn't stop soon, Kaname didn't think he'd be able to rein himself in… shutting his eyes tightly, he tried unsuccessfully to block out the feeling of Zero's urgent, hot mouth locked tightly on his neck and the way the ex-human's teeth probed demandingly at the ultra-sensitive wounds, coaxing Kaname's blood to flow faster. _Pain… just concentrate on the pain… _but even that was not enough to stem the rising tide of molten pleasure – paradoxically, it only added fuel to the fire.

Although they had shared blood as double-bonded mates once before, this was different. This time, there was nothing and nobody to interrupt them, no threat to their lives or safety, and it was for that very reason that Kaname was finding it so difficult to maintain control. He'd been abducted, tortured, threatened and forced into submission over the last few days, and it was so tempting to reach for any pleasurable sensation he could to erase the painful memories. Morals and propriety meant little right now... they paled in comparison to the powerful instinct of a double-bonded pureblood vampire - raw and unyielding - and Kaname's control was shattering under the onslaught. He couldn't say exactly what ultimately drove him over that precipitous edge between reason and impulse - perhaps it was the incredibly sensual sound of Zero's desperate feeding; or the sheer amount of uncontained gratification sparking across the bond – but whatever the cause, Kaname finally surrendered to his nature and let the awakening lust within have its way.

As Kaname's rich essence continued to fill his mouth, Zero couldn't suppress small moans and sighs of complete satisfaction. He could drink this blood forever; he would never tire of its incredible taste or the way it made him feel. His hunger had dissipated near instantly, like water on parched ground, and he drank now for the sheer intoxicating thrill of it rather than the nourishment. He relished having the pureblood at his mercy, fairly writhing under him every time he shifted his fangs to entice more blood to the surface. He was vaguely aware that despite his initial intentions, he was treating the pureblood rather violently, but he just hadn't been able to help himself. Some deep, feral part of him insisted that he exert dominance over his prey... and that same part was now causing unfamiliar, restlessly _needy_ sensation to jolt through him every time the pureblood muffled a gasp or tightened his hold on Zero's shirt, involuntarily tugging him closer.

Now though, as the red haze of hunger receded, Zero felt a stab of conscience amidst the hedonistic pleasure and eased up, withdrawing his fangs from Kaname's throat and lapping gently at the wounds to close them, while savouring every last taste of Kaname's delightful blood. The flesh healed quickly under his attention, leaving no trace of the deep punctures. He lifted his head, intending to thank Kaname, but the pureblood used his hold on Zero's shirt to roughly throw the hunter sideways, rolling with him until their positions were reversed. Suddenly finding himself on his back with a scarlet-eyed pureblood kneeling over him, Zero was a little annoyed.

"Kaname! Get off! What the hell are you doing?"

There was no reply – in fact it looked like the pureblood hadn't even noticed what Zero had said.

Kaname was quite sure he'd never seen anything as sinfully compelling as the cruor-streaked lips of the hunter, framed by smooth, lightly flushed skin and silky silver hair pale as the moonlight itself, as Zero lay tensely beneath him; still trying to gauge the pureblood's state of mind. It was a picture of pure, wicked temptation, and Kaname would resist it no longer.

"Still such a messy eater…"

Kaname's voice was low and sultry, a night-dark whisper, and the cadence of it seemed to echo through Zero's entire being. He had never been so affected by a voice in his life, and it made him wonder if perhaps he was dreaming all of this. _Surely Kaname wasn't going to_… but it seemed he was; the pureblood's head had already descended to Zero's face, and the hunter knew from prior experience what was coming, but he couldn't find strength or will in his limbs to resist it.

Kaname's tongue darted out to skim lazily over the trickles of blood staining Zero's mouth. Zero was unsure how to react, part of him wanted to be disgusted by the contact, but he couldn't deny the fiery sparks of pleasure that were gathering as Kaname's tongue stroked across his lips, lightly tracing along them, following the trail of blood before growing more forceful. _Feeding and pleasure was one thing, but now Kaname was trying to __**kiss**__ him for God's sake…_

Summoning the last fragments of his willpower, he pushed at Kaname's chest where the pureblood was leaning over him. Kaname growled warningly at the interruption, but pulled back a few inches, gazing intently at Zero with carnal desire blazing in his ruby eyes.

Zero drew in breath to protest, and it was harder than it should have been. Somehow he couldn't seem to get quite enough air with Kaname hovering over him like this, looking at him like he was a tasty morsel to be devoured… but eventually, he managed it. His voice sounded unconvincing, even to himself.

"Kaname… I don't think…" but the pureblood had obviously decided Zero was done talking, because he'd dipped his head again, resuming his former activity, brushing that demanding, velvet tongue over Zero's lips, trying to coax the hunter to open his mouth once more.

Zero's pulse was racing, breaths coming faster and slivers of heat spiking through his blood even as he tried to put up some form of token resistance. He had to fight this, it was just the bond – Kaname had obviously been affected by Zero's bite, and would come back to himself any minute now… but the ex-human's own resolve was weakening under the dual onslaught of Kaname's wickedly skilful touch and the rush of desire suffusing his being. The pure vampire blood rocketing around his system didn't help matters, augmenting the sensations until Zero's determined struggles gradually ceased, his body betraying him as his own hormones were triggered in response to his bondmate's need.

Taking advantage of the hunter's capitulation, one of Kaname's hands dared to make its way under his shirt; long fingers tracing the contours of his stomach, making raw heat simmer in Zero's gut, while that devastatingly dexterous tongue continued to beg for admittance.

Zero couldn't stand the building sensations anymore. Every nerve was on fire under Kaname's ministrations, and before he could stop himself, he let out a moan. The slight parting of the ex-human's lips was all the invitation Kaname needed. Inexorably, his tongue slid into Zero's mouth, and the kiss began in earnest as Kaname enjoyed the unique flavour of the hunter, registering faint hints of his own pure blood mixed with the ex-human's natural taste of cinnamon and earthy mint. Zero stiffened beneath him, as if once again thinking of fighting this, but as the kiss progressed from sensual to searing and Kaname focused on the hunter through the bond, throwing off waves of want, Zero slowly began to respond, his tongue meeting Kaname's tentatively at first, then abandoning caution and following the pureblood's lead, exploring Kaname's mouth in turn.

If Zero wasn't so lost to the rising heat within, he would have questioned why he was doing this, and with Kaname Kuran no less… but - at least physically - he was almost as deeply ensnared by the bond as Kaname right now and the spiralling maelstrom of lust left little room for doubts. He let the moment take him, slipping his hands under Kaname's already-rumpled shirt, delighting in every plane and angle of the lithe body which lay beneath it. The pureblood was discovering new territory as well, long fingers finding a nipple and teasing it mercilessly, wringing a hitching gasp from the silver-haired vampire. Too far gone for shame, Kaname's knee pressed up between Zero's legs, unerringly finding the physical evidence of the ex-human's desire, and Zero groaned into the pureblood's mouth as hot and cold chased alternately across skin at the contact. Kaname released the hunter's lips, trailing heated kisses and light bites down the side of his jaw instead, and Zero found himself panting the pureblood's name in a breathless whisper, fingers raking harshly down Kaname's back, admiring the texture of firm, flexing muscles bunching under sleek, soft skin.

As his mouth roamed over the expanse of Zero's throat, Kaname's thoughts gradually cleared, his rational mind finally rising above the haze of hormones. The sheer intensity of what he was feeling was frightening; he truly hadn't realized the powerful effect bonding could have. It shamed him that he had lost control that way, but he had been so keyed up after Zero's feeding and it had been so easy to let go. Now it seemed Zero had lost himself in turn… after ceasing his determined resistance, the hunter had first lain passive, before starting to participate quite enthusiastically.

Kaname knew he should be responsible and stop this… tell Zero it was just the bond messing with their inhibitions, a momentary lapse in concentration… but the hunter's slightly salty skin tasted divine, and the way the silver-haired vampire arched into Kaname's touch and ran his fingers possessively over the pureblood's back… it felt so _good_. Kaname had always been separated from the others by his status, never able to let down his guard or connect with another being as an equal rather than a subordinate, and this sudden unexpected intimacy, although forbidden, was an utterly welcome beacon of light in Kaname's fog of loneliness. Zero was obviously under the influence of the bond, and probably wouldn't even remember this tomorrow… _No! It's wrong… I shouldn't take advantage, no matter how much I may want to… _but just then, another breathy moan left Zero's lips, carrying the pureblood's name like a caress, and Kaname couldn't help himself. Before he really knew how, he had scooped the hunter off the floor, and laid him down on the bed instead. _Zero… forgive me for my weakness. I've been alone so long..._

When Zero suddenly found himself lifted from the floor, he'd been both shocked and disoriented. Kaname had moved faster than Zero had been able to track, and to him it seemed he'd gone from being trapped on the floor to being across the room cradled in Kaname's arms in one fluid motion. Zero was still trying to process this new development when he was lowered onto something soft. _The bed?!_ A rush of panic suffused his mind, and he wondered if he was letting this go too far. He knew the pureblood was not himself right now, but what if Kaname actually meant to… Zero couldn't finish the thought, it made him too uncomfortable. He had never been in a… _physical_… relationship. Truth be told he hadn't even given it much thought before now. Granted, he had kissed Yuuki that time… and he did want… well, _more _with her, but it had always been in the context of _someday_. Here, now, faced with the reality of giving himself not to Yuuki as he'd always dreamed, but to _Kaname_… he was both frightened and – mortifyingly – somewhat excited. It was shameful, but it dawned on Zero that he could pretend he'd been just as out of control as Kaname… he could blame everything on the heat of the moment, and never have to face up to the consequences of his actions. He couldn't deny that there had been – _tension_ – between them since that night in the forest… another surge of wanton desire raced through his body, but this time, he welcomed it. Surely, just this once, just for tonight, he could allow himself to _feel_. To explore new territory, take whatever pleasure he could and give pleasure in return. It was an intensely liberating feeling, and as Kaname moved to kneel astride his hips, all the while holding his gaze with smouldering ruby eyes, Zero realized that sharing this experience with the alluring, beautiful pureblood might not be such a terrible prospect after all.

Seeing Zero sprawled on the pale green comforter was doing all kinds of things to Kaname. Idly, he wished he could hear the hunter's thoughts right now. He would have thought with Zero's defences so low the hunter would be broadcasting thoughts unintentionally again; but for the moment, there was only silence. Still, he didn't need telepathy to interpret the desire in those captivating amethyst eyes. Meeting them with his own, he climbed sinuously onto the mattress, straddling the hunter before running his hands under Zero's T-shirt, simultaneously stroking up the ex-human's sides while pushing the slightly sweat-dampened fabric up to reveal the hard planes of his chest. Helpfully, Zero lifted his back off the mattress, allowing Kaname to divest him of the garment completely.

Not entirely comfortable with being the only one exposed, Zero slid his fingers to Kaname's shirt, shakily undoing the buttons, revealing more and more of the pale, sculpted flesh beneath. The pureblood's body really was incredible… his skin was radiantly pale, flawless and satin-soft, his muscles visible but not over-defined as his chest heaved slightly with impassioned breaths.

Watching as his bondmate undressed him, Kaname was suddenly struck with a pang of painful guilt. Zero's eyes were roaming over his body as if it was a work of art, simmering heat warming the depths of pale violet, and Kaname wondered if it was fair to mislead the hunter this way. If Zero had been able to think for himself right now, he would never, ever have agreed to this … and it made the pureblood feel like maybe Zero had been right all along… he was nothing but a monster, abusing others for his own gain. His self-deprecating thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt when Zero's presence suddenly invaded his mind.

'Kaname…I want you.'

The pureblood couldn't tell if the thought was deliberate or not; but since it was exactly what he needed to hear, he was sorely tempted to take it at face value. Still, to appease his conscience, he had to make sure. Hesitantly, he brought his eyes to Zero's, and what he found shocked him. There was no trace of the hormone-induced glaze, they were clear and honest.

At that moment, Zero was coming to the same realization - Kaname wasn't nearly as out of it as he had initially thought.

Time seemed to freeze as they looked at each other, unsure what to do now that their respective guises had fallen apart. Zero's ears and cheeks coloured slightly as he realized he'd just revealed to a perfectly sane, rational Kaname that he found him attractive. Kaname in turn realized Zero's thought had been both intentional, and – as evidenced by the hard length he could feel pressing against him where he was sitting astride Zero's hips – genuine.

"Zero… "

Kaname almost purred the hunter's name, unable to convey exactly how deeply it affected him to know that he was desirable to Zero. Yes, he'd been desired by many vampires before, but they were all after his blood or status, and they sickened him. Zero though… Zero saw through all that; treated him like a person, not a symbol. It meant a lot… and he intended to show Zero that the feeling was entirely mutual. Eyes once more sparking with lust, Kaname ground his hips against Zero's arousal, delighting in the way it made his bondmate shudder and gasp. He could see the sudden surge of pleasure it sent through Zero, rippling across the hunter's lean frame as Zero threw his head back, exposing his smooth throat. Knowing the effect it would have, Kaname leaned forward, now kneeling over Zero so that he could reach Zero's collarbones with his mouth, nicking the skin shallowly every now and again just to taste Zero's sweet blood.

Zero whimpered at the feeling of Kaname's teeth worrying his skin. He never thought he'd come to enjoy being bitten or bled, but he had to admit that Kaname was wickedly skilled with his fangs… the contrast between sharp nips and gentle lapping was incredible and drove him mad with pleasure. He was so lost in the sensation, he barely noticed Kaname's hand reaching down and undoing his belt, but when the pureblood's fingers tugged at the zipper, grazing over his arousal in the process, he suddenly became _very_ aware, his body jerking sharply, seeking more friction.

Kaname obliged, stroking teasingly over the same area. Zero was lost between the electrifying sensation of Kaname's mouth at his throat and the exquisite, exhilarating sparks shooting through his groin under the pureblood's urging hand. He shut his eyes, fairly bucking into Kaname's touch.

Zero's passionate response increased Kaname's own need. Wanting more intimate contact, he lifted his head from Zero's neck, positioning himself beside the hunter's legs so that he could ease Zero's pants and underwear down over the ex-human's slim hips. Zero's eyes snapped open as his aching flesh was exposed to the cool air. It was an unsettling sensation, being naked in front of someone else for the first time. It made him feel very vulnerable… as if his soul rather than just his body had been laid bare for Kaname's inspection. His ears started to burn again, but then he saw the way Kaname was looking at him… with admiration and longing_…_ and that made him burn in an entirely different way; even more so when Kaname moved to lean over him once more, dipping down to capture a nipple in his mouth, instantly igniting greedy sparks in Zero's stomach. He reached up, tangling a hand in Kaname's soft, dark hair, needing something to hold on to as the pureblood's hot, demanding lips teased and tugged the sensitive nub to a hard peak before moving on to lavish the other one with the same maddening attention to detail. Long fingers slid sinuously up the inside of Zero's thigh, finding his need, stroking and caressing, but not applying the friction he so desperately craved. The plethora of sensation was almost too much, tension coiling tightly in his stomach and making him feel like he was going to lose his mind if Kaname kept this up. Already his head was spinning with desire; dark, sensual thoughts edging into his awareness… and he didn't know whether to fear or welcome them.

Zero was granted a momentary, but welcome, reprieve when Kaname released him long enough to remove his own pants, revealing himself fully to his bondmate. Zero's lavender gaze roamed over his body for a second, but that heated look was too much for Kaname to resist, and the pureblood pounced, knocking Zero back onto the sheets, capturing the startled hunter's lips in a passionate, almost violent kiss while pressing their naked bodies together very intimately. Still delightedly plundering Zero's mouth, Kaname began preparing his bondmate for the next step.

Zero was nearly senseless from the combination of duelling with Kaname's tongue and the delicious smoothness of the pureblood's skin rubbing slickly against his... but he soon became aware of a rich, tempting scent in the air. Breaking the kiss, he pushed Kaname back.

"You're bleeding..."

The pureblood said nothing, but soon made his intentions clear as his wet, seeking fingers began probing Zero in a very sensitive area, making the ex-human gasp sharply.

"K-Kaname..."

In answer, the pureblood just looked at Zero, captivating the hunter utterly and making his breath catch; both from the heated gaze and from the way one of Kaname's fingers had just slid briefly _inside_ him. It was a very strange sensation, somewhat painful yet oddly stimulating, and for a second Zero was caught between asking Kaname to stop and asking him to do it again. Before he could make up his mind either way, the pureblood decided for him, a searching finger once more exploring the depths of his body. Zero's grip on Kaname's shoulders tightened in pained pleasure, and when the pureblood's slick digit brushed a certain spot inside him, he moaned, arching his back against the incredible feeling. Kaname used the opportunity to add a second finger, and Zero bit back an agonized whimper as the stretching started to hurt in earnest.

Feeling the tension in his bondmate's body, Kaname leaned close to the hunter's ear, flicking his tongue teasingly over the flushed lobe before speaking in a seductive whisper.

"Relax…it will get better."

Zero shuddered at the sensation of Kaname's warm breath brushing the wet skin of his ear. _Why did the pureblood always seem to know exactly how to wring a response from him?_ He realized he had been distracted enough by Kaname's tactic to forget about the pain, and now that he focused on where the pureblood's long, skilful fingers were still exploring him, he became aware that it no longer really hurt… in fact it felt extraordinarily, insanely good. Kaname's thought brushed gently against Zero's mind, his tone serious even as his fingers kept up the scissoring, undulating motion which was sending sultry sparks up Zero's spine.

'Zero…tell me if you don't want this.'

Zero was strangely touched that Kaname would ask for permission at a time like this. Didn't purebloods usually just take what they wanted with no regard for others? It may have been out of place to think on it in this moment, but Zero realized Kaname truly was different from the ruthless creatures he had always hated and feared. True, they had started out as rivals - enemies even - and had been thrown together by blood and circumstance… but lately, Zero had begun questioning whether those were the only things _keeping_ them together. Whatever the reasons, what was happening between them felt so good, so _right_. Zero's body was deliciously keyed up and begging for Kaname's every touch, and the hunter didn't think he could just walk away… didn't even think he _wanted _to walk away. He was still a little uncomfortable with allowing the pureblood to claim him completely, but if it was going to be anything like what Kaname's fingers were doing right now, Zero couldn't say no.

Reaching with his mind, he sent his reply towards Kaname.

'Don't stop.'

Relief mingled with deep, aching desire, blazed through Kaname like wildfire. He had been so afraid Zero would deny him this… he was almost shaking with the need to consummate their bond in flesh as well as blood… but he would never have been able to forgive himself if he later found out he had taken Zero by force. So he'd gathered his courage and asked for the consent he almost didn't dare to hope he'd be given. Now that it had been granted however, Kaname would ensure he gave Zero every bit of pleasure he could in return for the privilege. _Starting with this…_

Zero moaned around Kaname's probing tongue as the pureblood's free hand wrapped around his arousal, stroking it firmly. The combined sensations threatened to drive the hunter over the edge near-instantly... but he managed to hold himself back. Wanting to give as well as receive, Zero reached his own hand down between them, finding Kaname's straining flesh and rubbing his thumb over the wet tip, loving the way it made Kaname's hands lose their rhythm as pleasure raked through the pureblood's body.

Lifting his head, Kaname looked at Zero with a devilish glint in his eye before increasing the pace of his strokes over the silky, slick skin of Zero's arousal while simultaneously increasing the depth of the fingers exploring his partner's body. Zero couldn't withstand the onslaught of pleasure, and his hand fell from Kaname's firm flesh to tangle in the sheets as he panted softly with mounting ecstasy.

'Please… I can't…I-I want…'

It may have been incoherent, but Kaname understood. Withdrawing his fingers from Zero's body, he curled his hands under Zero's thighs, lifting them so that he could claim his lover. The fact that Zero was wildly aroused and had been thoroughly prepared meant he was more than ready, but Kaname didn't want to risk too much too soon for fear of hurting him. It was very difficult, though, to hold himself in check, and not just plunge forward into the hunter's enticing, exotically tight heat.

Zero had never felt anything like it in his life as Kaname's hard, hot length pushed into him slowly. It was both agonizingly intense and wholly incredible… it made his breath hitch with longing and his pulse race with glorious, unstoppable heat. Inhibitions completely erased by desire, he hugged Kaname's heaving sides with his knees. The increased angle made the pureblood's entry easier, and soon he had claimed Zero to the core. After giving him a few moments to adjust, Kaname began to move. As his tentative thrusts gained momentum, Zero arched against him, seeking the friction of Kaname's toned abdomen against his body. Gasps and moans filled the air as they lost themselves in the pleasure of their joining.

Zero threw his head back, thrashing wildly as Kaname hit _that_ spot inside him once more. The additional stimulation proved too much, and Zero found himself spiralling helplessly towards the precipice before being tipped over it by Kaname's demanding strokes. His mind went utterly, wonderfully blank as he climaxed, only aware enough to vaguely register the sticky, wet warmth splashing across his stomach.

Zero's pleasure was incredible to behold… Kaname stilled, watching in rapt fascination as the hunter's lavender eyes shut tightly against the sensations, every muscle tensing at once as his body crested with passion before seeming to relaxing completely in the aftermath. Kaname gave his partner a moment to catch his breath before resuming his thrusts, his need still painfully apparent. Zero's hands came up to clutch reflexively at Kaname's arms, exhaling his name on a moan as the pureblood's urgent motions stroked against his still-sensitive walls.

"Ngh…Kaname!"

The pureblood was utterly lost, unable to form coherent thoughts or words. Zero was all that existed right now, the feel of the hunter around him, the delicious scent of his blood as it pulsed hotly in his veins, those unearthly amethyst eyes regarding him with heated desire… it was enough to carry him to bliss as well. His lengthening fangs caught at his lower lip, drawing blood, the salt-rust tang of it hitting his tongue and only driving his pleasure higher as white-hot rapture tore through every nerve. Deliciously sated, he collapsed on top of Zero, just holding on to his bondmate for a moment as his wildly racing heart and breathing finally calmed. Eventually, he pulled out of Zero's welcome warmth, rolling onto his side, but not letting go of the hunter, keeping one arm draped over Zero's waist.

They were both in need of a shower, but fatigue was taking precedence. Kaname was starting to feel the after effects of Zero's voracious feeding earlier, compounded by the exhaustion of his shatteringly intense release. Zero was tired out from their activities as well, having previously been kept awake by his hunger, and the opportunity to rest and fully absorb the large volume of pure blood he had imbibed was too compelling to pass up. His eyes were already closed when Kaname pulled him a little closer, pillowing his head on the hunter's shoulder.

Tomorrow, there would be time for reason and thought. Now though, there was only a dark-haired, naked pureblood with his head resting against an equally nude ex-human, their bodies bathed in pale moonlight as they surrendered to peaceful slumber.


	18. The Harsh Light of Day

_**A/N:**_ _Okay, so it's time for the sleeping beauties to rise and shine… finally. I didn't quite let them sleep for 100 years, but it was close enough, LOL :D _

_As usual, more musings on this chapter and my life in general can be found at my LJ._

* * *

Kaname woke up shortly after dawn as the sun cleared the buildings opposite the hotel and sent light streaming through the open window of the room. Groaning in annoyance, he scrunched his eyes shut while cursing himself for forgetting to close the curtains last night.

Usually, the pureblood would have been perfectly lucid upon waking, but since he had just been pulled from a deeply needed slumber – in what to him classified as the middle of the night – and assaulted by sunshine on top of that, he found his mind hazy and his thoughts unfocused.

Absently, he reached down to find the covers so he could pull them over his head, only to realize there weren't any; he was lying _on_ instead of _under_ them. Rather uncomfortably too, since they were twisted into a heap… but the breeze entering the room held a chilly bite, so why did he not really feel cold if there were no covers? Trying to take stock of this development, he realized that what his head was laid against was both firmer than a pillow, and much warmer. It also had a distinctly _living_ quality to it… memory flooded back in a rush, and he recalled that he was not alone.

He didn't want to wake Zero – especially since he had absolutely no idea what to say to the hunter. What did one say to a rival-turned-lover after an incredible, passionate night? Come to think of it, Kaname didn't even know how Zero would react upon waking. He wouldn't put it past the ex-human to try and kill him or something equally rash. He had been pretty sure Zero was just as into it as he had been at the time, but the hunter was nothing if not skilled in self-denial, and might decide to take a different opinion on the subject after the fact.

Reaching out with his powers, Kaname drew the curtains, but his chaotic mental state resulted in him using rather more force than necessary, causing one side of the rail to detach from the wall. He directed a glare at the offending item, which was now hanging forlornly from the one remaining nail, then covered his eyes with one arm, muttering deprecatingly about poor quality hotel infrastructure.

The sudden expansion of Kaname's aura in his senses woke Zero instantly. Lilac eyes snapped open, assessing the threat. Realizing that he wasn't in any immediate danger, Zero's awareness turned to the fact that he was currently very naked, and… well, in _bed_… with Kaname. His cheeks flushed at the thought, and he gave his bondmate a quick glance, wondering if he was the only one embarrassed by the circumstances.

The pureblood's attention was quite obviously elsewhere - he was bathed in the golden sunlight coming through the window, and had his arm thrown across his eyes while grumbling under his breath about vindictive curtains and early sunrises. Zero's mouth quirked. The situation was rather humorous. If any of the night class could see their leader now, reduced to hurling insults at inanimate objects while sleeping with the enemy… well, _stunned _would probably not even begin to describe their reaction.

Unobtrusively, Zero reached for the covers, which had become entangled beneath their bodies, hoping to drape something over himself before Kaname realized he was awake. He managed to free a large enough piece of the fabric eventually, although the slight tugging at the linen had caught Kaname's attention. The pureblood had ceased his quiet muttering instantly; feigning sleep, but the tension in his posture gave him away. Unable to resist, Zero threw a wry remark at the pureblood.

"It's okay Kaname; don't let me interrupt your conversation."

It may have been a trick of the light, but Zero could've sworn a faint blush ghosted across the pureblood's face before a garnet eye narrowed at him, still shaded partially by an arm.

The joke had made them both more aware of each other, and neither knew what to say next. An uncomfortably long silence settled between them until Zero decided to take the initiative. When he moved to get up, he realized that he was still a little sore from last night's… _activities_. The pain was not too severe though, for which he was grateful. It was most likely Kaname's blood working its magic, soothing and healing the aches. Rolling over so he was facing away from Kaname, he grabbed hold of the sheet which had fallen off the bed, wrapping it around his waist as he stood.

"I'm uh… gonna go take a shower…"

He didn't fancy walking out in just a sheet, so he started scouting around for his clothes, but they had been scattered around the room. _Oh God…_ could there be anything more embarrassing than collecting your clothing while being scrutinized by the person who had stripped it off?

Once Zero had left the bed, the corner of the comforter was free, and Kaname pulled it over himself before speaking. He had noticed Zero's discomfiture, and it made him feel obliged to help.

"Why don't you use that coat? I mean, if you want..."

Zero cast him a suspicious glance, wondering if the offer was made for sincere reasons or merely to highlight his mortifying situation. After deciding from the soft look in the pureblood's eyes that it was probably the former, he replied.

"Yeah, thanks."

Walking over to the chair, he grabbed the long coat that Cross had given Kaname the day before, trying to ignore the fact that Kaname's intoxicating scent still lingered on it. He slipped it on before letting the sheet fall to the floor. Not wanting the pureblood to catch sight of the flush steadily rising up his neck, Zero made his way to the door and left without looking back.

Kaname laid his head down with a groan. This morning was hardly going well. The atmosphere had been laden with awkwardness and unease; they were like a married couple after a childish argument, neither of them wanting to look the other in the eye or acknowledge the reason for the tension between them. Zero obviously did not want to confront the fact that something had happened last night, and technically, Kaname should have been happy to do the same, but somehow it almost… hurt. He'd exposed a side of himself to Zero that he took great care to hide from everyone else – a vulnerable, needy, insecure side – and Zero's reluctance to face him this morning was playing on his emotions. Pulling the covers up over his head, he tried to go back to sleep, but the heat of the sun now baking the bed combined with his wildly churning thoughts made it impossible, so he decided to follow Zero's example and get cleaned up.

x---x---x

In the room next door, Zero was trying his best not to think. Instead, he paid attention to minute details, hoping to prevent his mind from wandering to _other_ things. The way the hotel's logo was branded into the soap, _the way Kaname's eyes were now branded into his thoughts, _the instructions on the shampoo bottle in the shower caddy, _the way Kaname had instructed him to relax_, how many tiles on the floor of the cubicle, _how many sounds of pleasure he'd made_… he was failing miserably.

In truth, Zero wasn't sure how to process what had happened last night. Yes, it had been all about blood and the bond at first, but from the moment he'd gazed into Kaname's eyes and seen that the pureblood was perfectly lucid, it had transformed into something else. Something which was both confusing and frighteningly intense. Somehow he'd lost sight of the dividing line between what his body demanded and what his heart desired… or perhaps, he had merely failed to notice that they were never really at odds with each other in the first place. After all, why else was he willing to allow Kaname to bed him before he became aware that the pureblood was not driven purely by instinct? Also – and perhaps even more tellingly – why had he let it continue after that revelation?

Not that he hadn't enjoyed it… in fact, it had been so enjoyable that the mere memory of the euphoric sensations was enough to make heat linger in his veins once more.

_Kaname's hands running up his sides, removing his shirt, the silken pads of the pureblood's graceful fingers sliding over his ribs in a sensual, teasing caress… the delightful rasp of Kaname's tongue against his… the warm, solid presence of the other male caging him, keeping him grounded even as the confident, stroking hand threatened to take him to new heights of ecstasy..._

Scrunching his eyes shut, Zero leaned his forehead against the cool tile of the wall, letting the water cascade down his back. _What's wrong with me? Why can't I get it out of my head?_

Furious with himself, he shut off the hot water completely, hoping the icy spray would shock him back to sanity.

x---x---x

Having finished his own shower, Kaname stepped out of the cubicle, drying himself off with a nearby towel. His gaze caught his blurry reflection in the steam-fogged mirror and he considered it a fitting analogy for his current state of mind. He hadn't been this uncertain and confused about anything for a long time, and he didn't particularly relish the feeling. Absently, he swiped his hand across the cool surface of the mirror, wishing it were that simple to clear his thoughts as well.

Once he was dressed, he realized it was just about the time Cross had told them to meet him in the lobby. Kaname's closest friends among the night class would be accompanying him so that they could discuss what had happened to Kaname and plan how to handle things back at the academy.

He left the room, heading down the passage, but paused as he drew level with Zero's door. He could tell from the quiet and the faint, pleasant scent of soap in the air that the hunter had finished his shower as well. Raising his hand, he knocked quietly, but there was no answer.

"Zero?"

Only silence.

Frowning slightly, Kaname left the hunter to his brooding. The night class nobles would be arriving soon, so perhaps it would be better if Zero remained up here. It was never wise to tempt fate.

By the time Kaname had made his way to the lounge, he spotted chairman Cross sitting on one of the armchairs in the corner, chatting to Takuma. He found it strange that Yuuki had not come with them, but he supposed she had classes to attend. Takuma saw him approaching, and stood immediately, triggering Cross to do the same. With the greetings out of the way, Kaname looked at his childhood friend.

"Where are the others?"

A shadow passed over Takuma's face, and Cross looked somewhere between anxious and furious. Takuma's gaze fell to the carpet, and Kaname tensed, knowing something was wrong.

"What happened?"

He gazed expectantly at the chairman, and the older man spoke quietly.

"There's a… situation back at the academy. The Council's guards ambushed two of the girls in the day class. They were roughing them up a bit, toying with them, but Yuuki was on patrol in that area, and she found them."

Ice-cold fear seized Kaname's veins, his heart starting to race. He had a sick feeling he knew what would come next. Cross continued, confirming his fears.

"She held them off for as long as possible, but they overpowered her. Shiki, Takuma and Kain went to investigate the smell of blood and caught them in the act."

Takuma took up the story, explaining what had occurred after he and the other nobles had arrived.

"Once we got there, they backed off immediately. They couldn't exactly start a fight with us without provocation, or they would risk being prosecuted under vampire law. We, however, were well within our rights to apprehend them for disregarding the rules of the academy's coexistence policy."

Kaname found both his worry and temper rising. _Those insolent Council dogs!_ Asato had sent only the laziest and most temperamental, no doubt hoping for something like this… and now Yuuki…Yuuki… but he was getting ahead of himself. He forced his rage down, asking the question to which he dreaded the answer.

"Is she alright?"

Cross answered, his voice pained.

"When Takuma and the others arrived the guards had her on the ground; several of them were already feeding and," his gaze darkened, his teeth clenching slightly, a glimpse of the legendary hunter slipping from beneath his fatherly façade, "_touching _her…"

Kaname could not suppress a low growl, fury sparking in his eyes.

Takuma could see that Kaname was very close to losing it, a feral glow manifesting in his eyes and his aura darkening. In such a public location, the consequences could be disastrous. He hastily interjected, hoping news of Yuuki would calm the pureblood somewhat.

"She's going to be okay, Kaname."

His friend still looked doubtful, so Takuma clarified.

"I mean, she lost a lot of blood and went into shock, but the doctor we brought in stabilized her. She's in the infirmary at the academy... we couldn't risk the hospital asking too many questions about her injuries. She's been sedated for now – she's overwrought and she needs her rest."

Kaname relaxed slightly, relief washing across his features. He saw Takuma's effort to calm him down for what it was, and was grateful for it, but he was still going to tear those gutless Council bastards limb from limb as soon as he got hold of them.

Cross, encouraged by the slight fading of Kaname's murderous glare, took the opportunity to report on the whereabouts of the others.

"Seiren, Aido and Kain are keeping the guards contained, and the others stayed behind to calm the night class, since the smell of blood was making everyone restless. It's an uphill struggle though. Without you there…"

There was no need to complete the sentence. Kaname knew. Without a pureblood's absolute authority, things could go downhill very quickly. Kaname would need to get back to the academy – _now._ His musings were interrupted by the chairman.

"Where is Zero?" Cross began looking around as if noticing the hunter's absence for the first time before continuing. "I know we had planned to return the two of you to the academy separately, but we're a guardian down, and with the night students so worked up, we may need him."

"Of course," Kaname said. "Our original plan is meaningless anyway, since it no longer matters what the Council thinks of my absence. I shall fetch Kiriyu and meet you back here in a few minutes."

x---x---x

Zero sat on the floor, leaning his back against the side of the bed, his head resting on the mattress as he stared at the ceiling.

_Pathetic._ He was such an idiot. It was just sex, right? People did it all the time. It was a classic one-night-stand scenario. He'd been drunk – on blood, not alcohol, but hadn't he always thought Kaname's blood was like a drug? – and his hormones had overridden his common sense. Yeah, it was that simple. It really shouldn't make him feel this guilty, this _vulnerable._

When Kaname came by earlier, he hadn't even been able to bring himself to answer the pureblood's knock. He was too afraid that it would lead to a conversation about last night… and Zero wasn't sure what to say. Maybe it was just because it had been his first time, or because the bond was messing with his perceptions, but he kept feeling like his body wasn't the only thing he'd offered up… and he wasn't ready to deal with that.

At least Kaname was going back to the academy today, while Zero would still have some time to think. That was exactly what he needed; some time alone to give him perspective. Everything had been happening too fast lately…

His thoughts were interrupted by an urgent knock. The bond told him it was Kaname even before the pureblood spoke.

"Zero, open the door…"

There was a strange note to Kaname's voice, a desperate rasp in the usual smooth velvet tones. Zero frowned, but remained silent. The knocking came again, louder. The persistent noise jarred Zero's sensitive ears, but he ignored it. The next thing he knew, the door was thrown off its hinges, flung across the room by an invisible force and allowing an irate pureblood to enter.

"Damn it, Kiriyu," Kaname bit out, "this is no time to act like a moody teenager!"

Kaname had more or less held himself together as he'd left the lounge to find Zero, but now all kinds of images of Yuuki and those _bastards_ were playing in his mind's eye, and his composure was cracking. The hunter was wasting precious time, and Kaname was in no mood to play games.

Zero glared at Kaname, wondering why the pureblood was overreacting like this. "Me? Jeez Kuran! You just start destroying the place, but _I'm _acting immature? What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Kaname had had enough. Why wouldn't Zero just _listen_? He was trying to tell him something important for God's sake, and the boy wasn't giving him a chance! Frustration and anger were giving way to desperation and despair, and the combination snapped the pureblood's thin tether on control.

Zero felt like he'd been plunged into ice water as Kaname's aura expanded wildly.

"Kaname," the hunter warned, a note of panicked irritation in his voice.

Kaname held up a hand for silence, his eyes flashing dangerously. Zero obeyed, a deep-rooted instinct telling him it was not a good idea to contradict the pureblood right now. Whatever was making the older vampire act this way, it was obviously serious. Kaname drew a deep, shuddering breath, trying to calm himself down enough to speak.

"It's Yuuki. She… she's been hurt. We need to go back to the academy."

Zero's heart plummeted. He wanted to ask what had happened, how badly hurt she was… but the pain beneath the pureblood's fury was speaking volumes.

Right now, Yuuki needed them.

Everything else could wait.


End file.
